


You Are The Best Thing That's Ever Been Mine

by Not_So_Mundane_After_All_97



Category: Titans (TV 2018)
Genre: Adoption, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fatherhood, Fluff, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Not Season/Series 02 Compliant, One Big Happy Family, Post-Season/Series 01, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-10-05 00:17:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 28,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20479838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Not_So_Mundane_After_All_97/pseuds/Not_So_Mundane_After_All_97
Summary: A story about how meeting a strange kid one night in Detroit set Dick Grayson on a path to become something he never thought he would be - a father. A story about love stronger than blood.Set after s1 but not s2 compliant.





	1. I Braced Myself For a Goodbye Cause That's All I've Ever Known

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to another story about my favorite Titans. It's my first ever multi-chapter story and I am so excited to share it. But also scared. I've been working on this for the past few weeks, it's mostly finished by now. So I figured the season 2 premiere week would be the perfect time to post it. The relationship between Dick and Rachel is everything to me. I can't wait for their scenes in s2. In this story explore a storyline I hope the show will do someday. It's been touched on before in some other fanfics (my own included) but never in detail. So I thought someone should do it. And I guess that someone is me. Maybe you already noticed by the title, but I decided to add my another love to this project - the title of the fic and it's every chapter is a lyric from Taylor Swift's songs that fit what the chapter (or at least the main part of it) is about. The main title and chapter 1 title come from the song 'Mine'. I hope you enjoy and let me know if you want chapter 2 by the end of this week :D

**CHAPTER 1.**

** _I Braced Myself For a Goodbye_ **

** _Cause That's All I've Ever Known_ **

_ But you took me by surprise _

_ And said 'I'll never leave you alone' _

\- 'Mine' by Taylor Swift

***

There was a long ride ahead of them and no one felt like talking. Dick gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white. There was this… tingling in the back of his head, an annoying side effect of being controlled by a demon. No to mention the flashes of everything Trigon had put him through. Especially everything that happened with Bruce. Dick was aware that it was just a vision, a hallucination, it wasn't _ real _ \- but Trigon didn't just created it out of the blue. He used a source - which was the deepest corner of Dick's mind. The world this demon build in his head, it was the perfect combination of his deepest desires and greatest fears.

Trying to get his mind off of it, Dick looked in the rearview mirror. Kory was glancing out the window, deep in her thoughts. Guess getting your memories back does that to a person. Gar tried to distract himself the only way he knew how, by playing a game on his phone. And Rachel was finally asleep, with her head on Gar's shoulder.

Dick let out a sigh of relief. He still couldn't wrap his head around what he had witnessed. He didn't understand what she did, he just knew that her demon of a father was now trapped in that red gem on her forehead. It took a lot of power to do so, more that he thought Rachel even had. But she did it and he couldn't help but feel pride blooming in his chest.

Whatever she did also took its toll on her. She tried to hide it, but she was physically and emotionally exhausted. Dick was relieved she finally fell asleep. She needed as much rest as she could get.

But he was also worried. The girl lost everything again. She was so happy to get her mom back, and all of that was snatched away from her by Angela herself, who turned out to be a crazy, lunatic Trigon psychofan. In her eyes Rachel was just a tool, a mean to an end, and the thought of that made him furious.

Dick had no idea what the future holds, but he knew one thing. He was never going to leave this kid alone. Never again. Because whenever he did, bad things happened.

But he also knew he needed to see Bruce. After he- after what happened, even if it was only in his mind, Dick knew he won't be able to get past it until he confronts his mentor. So he needed to go to Gotham. And going to Gotham meant leaving Rachel, because there was no way he's gonna let Bruce anywhere near her.

He knew Rachel is not going to be left alone - she had Kory and Gar, and now Donna, who was currently sitting in the passenger seat, reading the book they found on Kory's ship. But Rachel felt safest with _ him _. He was aware of that. He had a similar feeling himself - the only way he was sure she's safe was when she was right next to him.

He didn't want to leave again, he really didn't. But for the sake of his own sanity, he had to.

***

The sun was already setting when they arrived. Dick didn't tell the rest where they were going. After a conversation with Donna on the side, they decided this will be the best place to lay low for a while.

So he could understand his friends confused faces when after an entire day of driving, they arrived to a modern looking house by a gigantic lake, hidden from view by tall trees, away by few miles from the nearest neighborhood. A perfect hiding spot.

"Where the hell are we?" Kory asked the most anticipated question.

"It's, uh… another piece of my past I didn't tell you about." he answered awkwardly, not facing them. Thankfully Donna saved him from further explanation.

"Yeah, we haven't been here in a while." she added. "When was the last time? Like, four years ago? I hope our spare suits are here, 'cause I forgot to take mine." And when Dick gave her a questioning look, she smiled. "What? In case I need it. Yours is here too, I think. Not that you're gonna use it after… you know."

"Wait a minute." Gar interrupted and everyone turned to look at him. His eyes were wide from excitement as he pointed his finger at Dick and Donna.

"This place… I think I know what this is."

"You do?" Rachel asked sceptically.

"If you're Robin…" he pointed at Dick. "And you're Wonder Girl… Guys, they had a team."

Dick and Donna exchanged a look and smiled but kept their mouths shut. They decided silently to let the boy have that satisfaction of figuring it out.

"A team? Gar, to the point, please." Kory let out a sigh and ushered him to go on.

"There were more of them. A whole team. And they operated in this place, am I right?" He looked at Dick with hope in his eyes and a huge grin on his face.

"That's right, Gar." he smiled at the boy. "Welcome to the Titans Tower."

***

Everything was as they left it. Dick figured Bruce must have hired someone to take care of the place, because it didn't look abandoned at all. If he didn't know the truth he wouldn't be able to say that no one lived here for the past four years.

While Donna headed back to the city to get some food, Dick sat down with Kory and the kids on the couch in the living room and explained the story behind the place. He told them about how he and Donna met Dawn and Hank and how and why they created Titans. He shared some stories about their missions and their time together.

"I hope you don't mind me asking…" Gar started. "But why the band broke up?"

"Being a vigilante… complicates your personal life. We decided to go our separate ways, start a normal, civilian life. Didn't go as planned though…" he let out a bitter laugh. "But this place is fully operational and we're safe here." he changed the topic. "We can stay here as long as we want. The bedrooms are upstairs, pick whichever you want."

"Awesome!" Gar exclaimed happily and ran towards the stairs. The boy was beyond excited. Kory laughed softly and got up to follow him. She put her hand on Dick's shoulder briefly, wordlessly asking if he's okay and he squeezed her hand in conformation. He didn't want to talk about it right now and she understood. She smiled softly and headed upstairs. 

That's when Dick noticed Rachel standing by the large window, looking outside, her back to him. He got up from the couch and slowly approached her. The girl was clearly drowned in her own thoughts and he didn't want to startle her.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked quietly and she looked at him briefly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." she nodded. But it didn't sound very convincing. "I just… I've never been on a beach before."

"Never?"

Rachel shook her head.

"No… Me and my… Me and Melisa planned to go one day, you know? We were saving money, so we could go to Miami on my fourteenth birthday. She had a friend there she wanted to visit…" her voice started to crack a little and she stopped talking. He knew it was hard for her, remembering the life she used to have before all of this.

Then he got an idea.

"Wanna go outside?"

He led her through the patio and a path trodden in the grass, and a minute later they were on the beach. Rachel stepped closer to the water and inhaled deeply. Dick stayed back, letting her take it all in by herself. He sat down on the grass and observed how she looked around, delight in her eyes. A soft smile appeared on her face and Dick's heart jumped in joy. He loved seeing her happy. He watched as she crouched down near the water and let the small waves wash over her hands. Then she stood up, turned back and came to sit beside him.

They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying the moment. Rachel leaned her head on his shoulder. It was peaceful, but Dick felt like something was coming.

And then she spoke.

"You're leaving again, aren't you?"

It felt like a slap in the face. He knew telling her is going to be hard. He knew she wasn't going to like it. Turns out he didn't have to say anything - she figured it out herself. There was no point in denying it now.

"How did you know?"

Rachel lifted her head from his shoulder to look at him.

"I just… knew. I felt it."

He looked her in the eyes but had to turn away. The hurt they were bearing was too much.

He took her hand instead and was surprised that she even let him.

"I'm so sorry, Rach. Believe me, leaving you is the last thing I wanna do right now."

He finally got the courage to look her in the eyes. There were tears threatening to spill there, which made the lump in his throat rise, but he continued anyway. He needed her to understand.

"I need to see Bruce. Trigon put something in my head, and it's driving me insane. Bruce is the only one I can talk to about it. So I'm going to Gotham for a few days. But I'll be back, okay? I promise."

Rachel looked down at her boots as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"I'm sorry. It's my-"

"No, don't you dare saying it was your fault." he interrupted her. He reached out and wiped away her tears, then lifted her head up gently, so she could look at him. "You are not responsible for any of this, you understand? He did this, not you."

"But I let him out, Dick! I set him free!"

"They made you do that. They manipulated you. Don't ever blame yourself for that."

Rachel nodded and leaned against him again, still holding his hand.

"How long you will be gone?"

"A week at most. You think you can survive that long without me?"

Rachel nodded against his shoulder and Dick smiled. She'll be okay.

"Yeah… I have Gar and Kory. And Donna's cool too. I like her."

Dick let out a laugh.

"Yeah, I thought you would."

"Just don't take too long okay?" she whispered as she snuggled closer to him. He lifted his arm and put it around her, pulling her close. He leaned down, kissing her forehead and Rachel hid her face under his chin and closed her eyes.

"I'll be back before you know it."


	2. I Didn't Know What I Would Find When I Went Lookin' For a Reason, I Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So… what brings you back?"  
Bruce asked when they sat down in the man's office.  
"I need… an advice on something. And I think you are the only one who can give me an honest answer."  
"Alright." Bruce nodded. "So let's talk."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, chapter 2 is up! And it's less than 24h until I'm finally gonna be watching the new episode and I am so fuckin excited. So, in this chapter Dick visits Bruce and they have a nice little chat. Honestly, I don't feel like this chapter is my best work, but I guess it's not up to me to decide. What you have here wasn't my original plan, but I realised I had no idea how to write Bruce Wayne, since I've never been really interested in the character of Batman and I didn't want to write him too much ooc. So I took a little shortcut, hope you don't mind. I really wanted to write a conversation between Dick and Bruce about Dick's struggles, but I had no idea how to, so I decided to let the show handle it first. Anyway, enough of my blabbering. Hope you enjoy this chapter. 😊

**CHAPTER 2.**

_ **I didn't know what I would find** _

_ **When I went lookin' for a reason I know** _

_ I didn't read between the lines _

_ And, baby, I've got nowhere to go _

_ I tried to take the road less traveled by _

_ But nothin' seems to work the first few times _

_ Am I right? _

\- 'The Outside' by Taylor Swift

***

"Good to see you again, Dick."

Bruce greeted him when Dick finally got the courage to get out of the car. The older man waited patiently few feet away, by the front entrance to the Wayne Manor.

"You too, Bruce." he replied as they kind of awkwardly patted each other's shoulders and headed inside.

"I've seen you made the news." Bruce started as they were walking through halls towards his office. "With your old Titans friends. New ones too." 

Dick couldn't resist rolling his eyes. Obviously there was no news - Dick made sure of that. It was just Bruce's way of saying  _ I'm still spying on you _ .

"I'm not  _ spying _ on you" he denied when Dick confronted him about that. "I'm just… checking up on you. Just because you took out my tracker, doesn't mean I don't have other ways."

Dick snorted. Other ways, of course. 

"So… what brings you back?"

Bruce asked when they sat down in the man's office. 

"I need… an advice on something. And I think you are the only one who can give me an honest answer."

"Alright." Bruce nodded. "So let's talk."

***

They talked for a long time. Dick didn't know if Bruce would understand or even want to listen to him - all this man has ever done was hiding and repressing his feelings after all. But he listened carefully and shared some of his own experience. He understood Dick's fears and advised on how to deal with them. It was… different to see him like this. So open and ready to talk. It felt… nice. Guess the time they had spend apart was good for both of them.

"So… Do you mind telling me more about those new friends of yours?"

Bruce asked as he went to the counter and poured both of them a drink. Dick snorted accepting a glass from him.

"I'm sure you already know everything you wanted to know."

"Maybe." the man agreed with a mischievous smile and sat back down in his chair. "But I would like to hear it from you. I mean - you have built quite a team. All three of them have… abilities, is that correct?"

"Yes, they do have powers."

"A woman who can shoot fire from her hands, a boy who can turn himself into a tiger - a green one at that - and… that mysterious girl I can't quite get. A very interesting set of skills, indeed."

Dick smiled softly and took a sip of his drink.

"Yeah, Rachel. She's… she's special."

"Your protege?"

Dick almost choke on the liquor.

"What? No… she's not-"

"Oh come on." Bruce teased. "You basically took a note from my handbook and got the kid off the street. You thought I wouldn't notice?"

Dick sighed and put his now empty glass away. Yes, the irony wasn't lost on him. 

"It's not that simple…It's not really the same as what you did for me."

Bruce squinted his eyes at him in confusion.

"Oh, but it kind of is. Yes, you are not training her to be a vigilante - not yet, anyway - but you saw a kid who went through some stuff and who had no one to turn to, and the first thing you did was to make sure she's not left alone. You did it not because you had some plan, a hidden agenda behind it, you did it because it was the right thing to do. You acted on instinct."

Dick thought about it for a moment, finding truth in the man's words. 

"But honestly… I have no idea what I'm doing sometimes. Clearly I don't know how to take care of a kid."

"And you think I did? You are already doing a much better job than I did with you."

Dick raised an eyebrow at him.

"And how is that?"

"Well… from what you told me and what I saw… You two have built quite a strong connection in a very short time. She longs to you. It's clear she feels safe when she's around you. She trusts you. It took you months to feel even a little bit like that about me."

Dick let out a short laugh.

"You know, Bruce? We really need to talk about you  _ checking up _ on me. You clearly know more that you should."

Bruce smiled back at him.

"You know I like to be well informed."

They laughed at his remark and Dick felt a sense of nostalgia coming over him. It reminded him of old times. Good times. 

"What about her powers?" Bruce asked after a moment. "They seem pretty serious."

Dick thought for a moment about his answer. He didn't want to reveal too much. 

"They are. She… she's struggling with them sometimes. But she's a quick learner."

Bruce nodded in understanding.

"Is she an alien? Maybe I know someone who could help her."

"No. She's not."

Bruce looked at him, a look of surprise on his face.

"An extracelestial then? Interesting."

Dick decided not to comment on that. Maybe for now it's best if no one knew about her origin. Bruce already knows too much, anyway.

"I'm trying to make sure she has a normal life though. She's still a kid after all."

"How old is she exactly?"

"13."

Bruce nodded.

"Then school would be the safest option."

Dick glanced at the man, confused.

"I'm not sure, Bruce. Some people were after her because of what she can do. We have no idea if that threat is over or not. Besides, in the eyes of the law, she's an orphan who disappeared after her mother's murder and is presumed missing."

The corners of Bruce's mouth went up in a little smile.

"Then you should do something to change that status."

Now Dick was even more confused.

"Like what?" 

"Have you heard about temporary guardianship?"

***

It was actually a brilliant idea. The document will grant him the legal right to make important decisions on behalf of Rachel, including financial and medical decisions. Which meant there would be no problem with sending her to school. Or give her medical attention if needed. She could also legally stay with him.

The only downside was the time limit. Usually it's 60 days. But they could work it out. He knew they could.

Alfred took care of everything and three days later Dick was driving back to the Tower with the guardianship document lying in the passenger seat. He was surprised the man managed to get it so quickly and his old friend swore the document was 100% legal. 

What Dick was more worried about at the moment was how to approach Rachel with the topic. He wasn't sure how would she feel about going back to school, especially after everything that happened. He wasn't going to force anything on her, he will pitch the idea and try to be encouraging and supportive, but the decision must be entirely hers. 

He arrived in the afternoon. He parked the car in the garage and made his way to the house. Everyone were spread all over the couch, watching TV, with three boxes of pizza on the coffee table. Nobody noticed his presence. 

"Guess not much has happened while I was gone. Please tell me there's still some of this pizza in there 'cause I'm starving."

All heads turned to his direction and he was greeted with happy cheers. Rachel, who was grinning happily, jumped off the couch and ran up to him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Dick, you're back!"

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her in return.

"I told you I'll be back."

He ruffled her hair when she released him, which earned him a huff and cute pout from her. His heart did a weird loopy thing in his chest. It was just few days but he really missed her. 

He went to sit down beside her and quickly grabbed a slice of pizza.

"So, what are we watching?"

"Star Wars" Gar answered him from across the table.

"Which one?"

"All of them." the boy replied. "Because apparently Rachel had never seen Star Wars, and that is like, unacceptable."

"It's not that I haven't  _ seen _ it." she insisted. "I just didn't pay attention before." 

Gar smiled at her.

"Well now you will."

Rachel threw a pillow at him, but he caught it.

"Whatever, Gar. Just play that damn movie."

Everyone laughed as the classic theme music started playing. Dick leaned back on the couch and nudged Rachel's shoulder. The girl got the message and scooted closer to him, then leaned her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her loosely and focused on the movie. It was good to be home.


	3. You Take a Deep Breath And You Walk Through The Doors, It's The Morning Of Your Very First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "School? Dick, I don't think that's a good idea."  
Rachel shook her head and looked at him skeptically. They were sitting on the couch together and Dick decided to approach the subject. And just like he expected - she didn't like it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter 3! It's a cute little thingy and I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. And how do you feel about that season premiere? No spoilers, of course but it was EPIC. And of course Dick and Rachel delivered perfectly beautiful scenes, I was crying. Let me know what you think, I'll see you soon with chapter 4!

**CHAPTER 3**

** _You take a deep breath_ **

** _And you walk through the doors_ **

** _It's the morning of your very first day_ **

_ You say hi to your friends you ain't seen in awhile,  _

_ try and stay out of everybody's way _

_ It's your freshman year _

_ And you're gonna be here for the next four years in this town... _

\- 'Fifteen' by Taylor Swift

***

"School? Dick, I don't think that's a good idea."

Rachel shook her head and looked at him skeptically. They were sitting on the couch together and Dick decided to approach the subject. And just like he expected - she didn't like it.

"Why not?" he asked her, trying his best for his tone to sound encouraging. "I think it's a great idea. After everything that happened, school will give you at least a little of a normal life."

Rachel glanced up to the ceiling and let out a heavy sigh.

"You know, I just started high school when my- when  _ you know what _ happened. And honestly I'd rather have an evil cult hunt me again than go back there." She got up from the couch, leaving him rather speechless, and headed towards the kitchen, where Gar was currently preparing a smoothie. Dick followed her there, sat down at the kitchen table and watched as Rachel took out three glasses from the cabinet and placed them in front of Gar.

"Besides…" she continued when the green haired boy filled her glass. "I'm supposed to be missing, remember?"

"Oh, don't worry about it. I took care of it when I was in Gotham."

She stopped and stared at him, her glass frozen halfway to her mouth. 

"You  _ took care of it _ ?"

"All you need to know is that you don't have to worry about police or social services looking for you anymore." He replied when Gar handed him his glass. "You can go to school here under your real name and no one will bother you, I promise."

He didn't tell her about the temporary guardianship. Like the name says - it's  _ temporary _ . It implies it will end someday and Rachel didn't need that fear and anxiety on her head. She didn't need to think he will leave her again, after it's over. He won't. He broke his promise too many times already. 

"Still, high school is a nightmare. And I've had enough nightmares already."

"I think it would be awesome." Gar cut in as he put his already empty glass in the sink. Dick's eyes widened as he looked at the boy.

"You- you agree with me?"

"You agree with him?"

Both him and Rachel were now staring at Gar, who turned to them slowly and leaned on the sink.

"Ever since…  _ this _ happened-" He explained by making claws from his fingers, which made Rachel smirk. "I had to drop out. I was homeschooled by Chief and the rest of the gang, but honestly I always wanted to go to school." he turned to Rachel. "I could go with you, if you want. Better together and all that. And before you ask-" he turned to Dick who was just opening his mouth to ask questions. "One phone call to Rita and I'll get you all the paperwork you need."

The boy then went over to Rachel, who stood in the middle of the kitchen with her arms folded, not looking very convinced. He put his arm around her shoulders and smiled brightly. "Come on, Rach. It will be fun."

"I don't know, Gar…"

Dick got up from his chair and walked over to them, smiling softly.

"Try at least. If it doesn't work, or you don't like it, we'll figure out something else. But trying doesn't hurt."

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with worry.

"What if my powers go crazy? Or _ she _ shows up again?"

Dick nodded in understanding. Of course she was worried about her powers - and her demonic reflection - messing things up, like they did in the past.

He put a comforting hand on her shoulder and smiled softly.

"Then Gar will be there to help you and you can always call me, Kory or Donna if you need anything, okay?"

Rachel bit her lip nervously and thought about it. She glanced between Gar and Dick, both wearing soft, supporting smiles on their faces. 

"Fine, I'll give it like a week or something. We'll see."

Dick smiled proudly and ruffled her hair and Gar hugged her happily. Then the two teenagers exited the kitchen with Gar's excited blabbering about how awesome it's gonna be. They passed Kory on the way, who just got back from grocery shopping. She put the paper bag on the table and shot Dick a confused look.

"What's going on with them?"

Dick laughed under his breath.

"Gar and Rachel are going to school."

Kory's eyes flickered with surprise and excitement.

"That's amazing! When?"

"Well, I have to go there first to sign them in, but hopefully soon."

Kory raised an eyebrow at him and folded her arms over her chest.

"You?"

Dick shrugged.

"Well, someone has to. And since I am Rachel's legal guardian for now-"

"Wait, hold on a second." Kory stopped him with a wave of her hand. "You're  _ what _ now?"

"It's temporary." He hurried to explain. "Legally it only lasts 60 days, but it allows me to make any important decisions when it comes to her education, health care and finances. And we don't have to hide her from the police and social services anymore either."

"Okay…" she nodded. "And what happens when it's over?"

Dick slumped in his chair.

"I don't know. I haven't figured that part out yet."

Kory went over to him and put her hands on his shoulders. Her touch was wonderfully relaxing, making him sigh in relief. 

"And I'm guessing you didn't tell her."

Dick shook his head and closed his eyes.

"Nope."

Kory was silent for a moment. She went to the other side of the table and started unpacking the bag.

"Who gave you the idea, by the way?"

"Bruce, actually."

"Oh, wow. Didn't see that coming."

Dick snorted as he got up to help her.

"Yeah, me neither. He also told me about how school would be good for her. What do you think?"

Kory thought about it for a second.

"I think it's a great idea. It will be good for both of them. These kids had been through hell and back, even a tiny bit of normalcy will be a blessing for them."

Dick nodded in agreement. 

"Yeah, I hope so."

***

Almost a week later, the four of them stood on a sidewalk next to Dick's car that was parked in front of the local high school. Gar couldn't stand still from the excitement. He looked around with a giant smile on his face and Dick thought he had never seen a teenager this excited about school. Rachel on the other hand didn't share Gar's happiness. She was visibly nervous, with her head down and eyes on her boots, her hands gripping her bag so tightly her knuckles went white. Dick came over to her, put one hand on her shoulder and used the other to gently lift her head up so she could look at him.

"Hey, you got this." he spoke. "It's gonna be okay, you're not going there alone. Try to relax and enjoy it, okay? I'm picking you up later and I'll be waiting right here. And I really hope that frown will be gone by then." That made her chuckle and Dick sighed in relief. Her eyes were still filled with worry when she looked at him, but she straightened her back and took a deep breath.

"I got this." 

Dick smiled proudly and wrapped her in a tight hug. Rachel put her arms around his torso and hid her face in the crook of his neck. She fit there perfectly, like a missing puzzle piece and he couldn't help but smile at the thought.

He gave her a quick kiss to the side of her head and whispered.

"Yeah, I know you do."

She let go of him and smiled, then she turned to hug Kory, who just finished talking to Gar.

"You go there, girl, and be fabulous, okay?" The woman said as she wrapped Rachel in an embrace. Rachel laughed, finally relaxing and nodded.

"Will do."

Dick went over to Gar and put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"You two take care of each other out there." he spoke, which got the girls attention as well. "And don't hesitate to call if you need anything, okay?"

Both kids nodded. 

Kory checked her phone.

"And you better hurry, the first class starts in 10 minutes." she added. "You don't want to be late on your first day, do you?"

Gar snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, that would be a tragedy." 

He wrapped his arm around Rachel and smiled. "Come on, Rae. Let's go and kick ass."

Rachel smiled at him. "Yeah, let's go."

They waved Dick and Kory goodbye and headed towards the school. If it wasn't for their vibrant hair colors, they would've been swallowed by the sea of students. But Dick had his eyes on them till they vanished behind the school's front door. 

He felt pride spreading over his chest. Rachel came a long way since he had met her in Detroit. It made his heart leap in joy to see her grow. He was worried, of course. He knew high school wasn't easy. But Rachel was strong, she could handle this, he was sure of it. Besides, she had Gar by her side. And these two were unstoppable together. 

So when their first day of school was over and Rachel ran up to him with a huge smile on her face, Gar following close behind, Dick knew everything was going to be just fine. 


	4. I'm Thirteen Now And Don't Know How My Friends Could Be So Mean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ugh, I can't do this!"  
Rachel yelled in frustration during one of her training sessions with him. They've been trying to combine some of her tricks with the physical part of training. But today clearly wasn't her day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting chapter 4 one day early, because... Why not? And thank you to everyone who came across this story, left cuddos and comments, it means a lot. I put my whole heart into this story. The main part of it has some hurt/comfort stuff and the second part is just pure fluff. We're coming closer to the main part of the story, I'm so excited! You could say there's already a hint of it in this chapter! Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!

**CHAPTER 4**

** _I'm thirteen now_ **

** _And don't know how my friends could be so mean_ **

_ I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys _

_ And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away _

_ And we talk and window shop 'til I've forgotten all their names _

_ \-  _ 'The Best Day' by Taylor Swift

***

This idea came to him a while ago. He wasn't sure how his friends would react, considering what happened in the past. But when he pitched it to Donna, he was actually surprised at how excited she was. 

Hank and Dawn took more convincing, though. But in the end, they agreed and came to the Tower.

Titans were officially back in business.

Well, maybe not like they used to, not at first. For now, it was mostly Hank, Dawn, Donna and Kory in the field. Dick decided to be their 'guy in a chair' for now and made his main priority to train the 'next generation' as he called them. Gar and Rachel's abilities, as useful as they were, still needed practice. And, if his past experience taught him something, you can't always count only on your powers. The kids needed to build their physical strength, learn some hand-to-hand combat. 

So, every other day, after their homework was done, they met for their training sessions. Sometimes they had their sessions joined, with some of the OG members assisting Dick as teachers, so Gar and Rachel could learn to work as a part of a team. But mostly, Dick trained them by himself, one-on-one, to find their strengths and weaknesses, and help them understand their abilities better.

"Ugh, I can't do this!"

Rachel yelled in frustration during one of her sessions with him. They've been trying to combine some of her tricks with the physical part of training and her task for today was to block his attack with her mind in a way that would distract him, so she could defeat him with a series of moves he had shown her previously. 

But today clearly wasn't her day.

She seemed distracted. Every little mishap irritated her. She tried very hard to do everything right, so when it didn't work, it only made her more angry. Finally, after she failed to deflect his attack tenth time in a row, she gave up. She sat down on a nearby bench, wiped sweat from her forehead and hid her face in her hands. Dick was just about to go to her when a sound of a strangled sob escaped her, making him stop abruptly.

Rachel was crying. And something told him it was about more than just training. 

He sat down next to her, but didn't do anything for a moment, waiting for her reaction. When she didn't do anything to show she wants to be left alone, Dick scooted closer to her and pulled her into his arms. The girl completely lost her remaining composure and broke down, sobbing into his shoulder. She gripped his back so tightly he could feel her nails digging into his skin through his shirt. He wrapped his arm around her waist tightly and cradled her head with his other hand.

He knew that whatever had caused this, she needed to let it all out first, so he just stayed like that with her for a while and held her.

When her sobs finally died down, Dick leaned away a little to see her face, but still kept his arms firmly around her. Rachel had her head down, some of her hair fell on her face and she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes.

"Rach, what's going on?" he asked softly, but Rachel only bit her trembling lip and shook her head in response, still not looking at him. He moved his hand from the back of her head and placed it on her cheek, wiping her tears away.

"Hey, don't do this to yourself." he whispered. "I can't just sit by and do nothing when you're suffering so much. Just talk to me, please."

Maybe it was the  _ please _ , or the soft tone of his voice, but she finally, slowly looked at him. 

"I'm- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay." he assured her. "Just tell me what happened."

Rachel let out a heavy sigh and leaned against him again. She snuggled up to his neck and he rested his chin on her head, still holding her close.

"I think it all just piled up inside me." she started. "School's been pretty stressful lately. I'm so behind with the material and sometimes I can't keep up. I can't sleep. I feel like I'm failing you because I can't do something as easy as  _ blocking _ and I hate it."

"Rachel, you're not  _ failing _ me-"

"I  _ know _ ." she insisted. "But I feel like I am. And on top of that there are those kids at school-" she stopped suddenly as her eyes went wide. Like she realised she shared too much. But it was too late, it already got his attention, and she knew it. 

"What kids?"

She had no choice but to continue. 

"There is this group of kids. I have few classes with some of them, but there's also few older ones. They… they know me from the news, I guess. They called me  _ that missing girl _ few times. They… say stuff. To me and Gar. We try to ignore them but it doesn't always work."

Dick's blood boiled. A burning anger flashed behind his eyes, making his vision red for a second. His kids has been  _ bullied _ at school. 

He tightened his hold on her. It wasn't the time to be angry. Right now he needed to keep it together, because Rachel needed him. 

"What do they say?"

Rachel was quiet for a moment, gathering her thoughts. 

"They call us stupid names. I heard them saying we escaped from some orphanage or something. One time one of the older guys said that I killed my mom and I… I almost attacked him, but Gar stopped me. Then they started calling us freaks, charity cases… We defend each other as best as we can, I swear, but we don't want to risk compromising our powers, and it's so  _ hard _ not to use them, when… when they do that." She finished and her breath hitched. Dick leaned away and moved his hands to cup her face.

"How long has this been happening?"

"Over a week."

"And when were you going to tell me?"

"We… we didn't want to bother you. You were so busy with rebuilding the team and training us and everything… We thought we had it handled."

Dick let out a heavy sigh. Of course they were thinking like that. They wanted to prove to him they can handle high school problems on their own. 

"Rach, I told you, I told  _ both of you _ that you can always come to me, with everything. Especially with something like this. You are being bullied. That's unacceptable. These people don't know you, they don't know what you have been through. They have  _ no right _ saying those things." Then another thought came to him, making his eyes go wide. "They didn't  _ do _ anything to you, did they?"

"No." Rachel replied quickly, realising what he meant. "I mean, Gar has been pushed against the lockers few times, mostly when he was protecting me. But other than that, they didn't hurt us." But when she noticed his worried wide eyes, she added. "They didn't  _ hurt me _ . I wouldn't let them. Gar wouldn't either." 

Dick released a breath he didn't know he was holding.  _ I swear to God, if one of those guys ever lays a hand on her- _

The red flames of anger threatened to overcome him again, so he took a deep breath. There will be a time for that later. He needed to be smart about this. 

"I need to go there and fix this. These assholes need to be held responsible. I'm going to talk with the principal-"

"No!" Rachel's eyes went wide with panic. "What if you make it worse?"

"I won't. Something needs to be done. We'll figure it out, okay? Let me handle this, all you need to do is stop listening to them. You can't let them get to you. You can't let them win. You need to block them, just like you tried to block me. Just… maybe without using your powers."

He smiled at her and Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I can't even do  _ that _ ."

Suddenly Dick got up from the bench and pulled her with him.

"I have an idea. Come on."

They came back to the center of the training room and took their positions.

"Let's try this again. Block me again, but this time imagine it's those assholes."

Rachel hesitated.

"I don't know, Dick…"

He came closer to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then come on. You can do this."

She nodded and Dick came back to his spot. He didn't give her much time to prepare - he immediately charged at her. And he could swear that for a split second the gem on her forehead flashed red. And then everything stopped. He couldn't move - he was frozen. The rest happened in slow motion - Rachel executing a perfect round kick to the center of his chest, sending him on the mat with loud thud. The landing was hard, but it didn't stop him from laughing happily. She did it. 

Rachel came to him and offered him a hand. He took it and got to his feet. 

Her dazzling smile made his heart soar with pride.

"I did it." she breathed out.

"That's my girl." 

He pulled her into his arms and picked her up, spinning around. Both of them were laughing now. Then he put her down, but kept his hands on her shoulders.

"I knew you could do it."

Rachel's smile grew even wider.

"I've had the best teacher."

Dick wrapped his arm around her shoulders and leaned down to kiss the crown of her head.

"I think that's enough training for today." he said as they made their way out of the room. "Want some pizza?"

"Sure! Just… don't get pineapple on it."

Dick smiled at their shared memory.

"Obviously."

He will talk to the school. He will deal with this. But right now all that mattered was making Rachel happy. So pizza it is.

***

It was a lazy Saturday afternoon at the Tower. One of those gloomy days when you feel like even sitting and doing nothing makes you tired. Dick took away his attention from their next mission details on his laptop and looked around the living room from his spot on the couch. Gar was spread out on a chair across from him, playing a video game on his phone. His ears were covered by headphones, making him completely oblivious to the world around him. 

Donna and Dawn were currently drinking coffee on a patio, deep in conversation. Hank was nowhere to be seen and Dick remembered him saying something about going to the training room.

But where were Kory and Rachel?

Last time he saw them, they were on the couch next to him, watching TV. He specifically remembered Rachel nestling her head on his lap, almost knocking his computer off. 

Dick must have really loose track of time if he didn't notice them leaving. 

His head started to give him a hard time anyway so he closed his laptop and put it away.

"I see you're finally done with it." Hank said as he walked into the room. He had a towel around his neck and his shirt was all sweaty - it must have been an intense training. "Wanna spare? Come on, Dick! You've been on this couch all day, stretch a little!"

Well, it wasn't a bad idea. He was bored out of his mind anyway. Maybe it will make his headache go away.

He was about to get up when a familiar clicking of heels reached his ears.

"I'm taking Rachel shopping" Kory announced as they walked into the room. "Any special wishes?"

Her question was met with silence, because everyone were just staring at them.

Gar looked up from his game and took the headphones off.

"Hey! New haircut?"

Indeed, both of them looked… different. Kory's iconic curls were replaced by long flowy waves, revealing the actual length of her hair. All of that only magnified the significant red color.

And Rachel… Her hair were also slightly curled around her face. And blue. There was no black strands - her entire head was covered by a crown of magnetic blue curls. 

Rachel blushed, visibly embarrassed and smiled shyly while Kory proudly raised her head and looked around.

"You like it? We decided it was time for some change. It's not much but it'll do for now. Right Rachel?"

The girl turned around from a small mirror on a wall and nodded, although her face didn't show as much excitement as Kory's.

"What? Yeah, totally."

Kory noticed her hesitation.

"Hey I told you - it looks good." she turned back to them a looked at Dick. "Tell her!"

Meanwhile Rachel turned back to the mirror.

"Yeah, I know." she murmured. "I just… I never had curls before and it's weird."

Dick smiled softly at her, got up from the couch and walk over to where she stood. He stopped behind her, put his hands on her shoulders and looked at their reflection.

"You look beautiful, Rach. Nothing to worry about."

The girl locked eyes with him in a mirror and smiled, a soft shade of pink spreading over her cheeks again. 

"Thanks."

"You said you're going shopping?"

She turned back to him.

"Yeah. Need anything?"

"No, I'm good." He took a look at the weather outside and then back at Rachel.

"But you should wear something warm, it's cold outside."

Rachel rolled her eyes and headed towards Kory, who was already waiting by the door.

"We're taking a car, I won't be cold."

Dick folded his arms on his chest and went after her.

"Still I think you should-"

"Ugh, fine." she groaned, then looked around the room. She noticed one of his hoodies laying on a chair Gar was sitting in, already back to his game, so she swiftly grabbed it before Dick could say anything.

"Hey! That's my hoodie!"

"So? I'll give it back."

"Oh, like you gave back my t-shirts?" He teased her as she was pulling the hoodie over her head. It was too big for her and she basically drowned in it, but Dick had to admit it looked really cute. He didn't mind her stealing his clothes, he just liked messing with her.

Rachel smiled at him and shrugged.

"Not my fault they are so comfy." 

She then grabbed her backpack and waved to them. "See ya!"

And next second they were gone.

Dick let out a soft laugh and shook his head. Good chances are he's never gonna see that hoodie again. 

"Aww… that was adorable." Donna smiled at him as she and Dawn took their seats on the couch. Then the two women looked at each other and giggled like little girls. 

Dick looked at them, confused.

"What? It  _ is _ cold outside, you said it yourself."

"Mhmm" Wonder Girl nodded as she took a sip from her mug, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. "But not  _ that _ cold."

"Yeah, but… She has a big English test on Monday, the one she's been studying for the whole week." He said as he picked up his laptop. "I don't want her to get sick and miss that."

"Sure you don't." Dawn said as Donna tried to mask a snort of laughter with another sip, but failed.

"Okay, what is going on?"

Donna put her mug down on a coffee table and shook her head.

"Oh Dick, you're such a dad."

The comment left him dumbfounded.

"What? I'm not-"

Behind him Hank snorted.

"And what was that you told me back in Washington?" Dawn added. "Ah right.  _ I'm not taking her in _ " she quoted him. " _ I can't do family _ . Uh-huh, yeah right."

Donna turned to her abruptly.

"He said that?"

"Yup."

"Then what the hell did we just watched?" Donna asked with a stupid grin on her face.

"I don't know." Dawn shrugged. "Ask him."

Dick shook his head and sighed.

"You two are unbelievable."

"What can I say?" Donna said when she stood up from the couch and walked over to him. "Fatherhood suits you."

Dick rolled his eyes.

"Oh fuck you."

"See?" Donna turned to her blonde friend. "They even roll eyes the same way!"

Dawn burst into laughter.

"You still up for that spare Hank?" Dick called to his other friend.

"I'm game if you are."

"Then see you in the training room in fifteen minutes."

Hank send him a happy grin.

"Sure,  _ dad _ ."

"Oh not you too." Dick groaned and left the room, followed by the sound of his teammates laughing.

When he was sure they couldn't see him though, he stopped trying to hide his own grin.


	5. Remember When We Couldn't Take The Heat, I Walked Out, I Said, I'm Setting You Free

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're mad at me."  
Rachel's voice was quiet. It was the first time she said anything since they got back to the Tower. She was currently sitting on the bed in the medbay, gripping the edge tightly and trying to hold back yelps of pain. Dick pressed his lips into a tight line and kept his focus on her bleeding forehead. Treating the wound was difficult enough without her flinching every few seconds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes another chapter! We're kinda shaking things up in this one, but just a tiny little bit - what's a story without some angst? Sending love to all the people who left kudos and commented 😘 Honestly, I don't even know how long this is going to be. I have it written up to chapter 9 by now, but I still need to add two scenes to chapter 8. Maybe around 11-12 chapters in total? I know how the story ends in my head, but I always end up writing more than I originally planned, so who knows? Anyway, enjoy this one!

**CHAPTER 5**

** _Remember when we couldn't take the heat_ **

** _I walked out, I said, I'm setting you free_ **

_ But the monsters turned out to be just trees _

_ When the sun came up you were looking at me _

\- "Out Of The Woods" by Taylor Swift 

***

"You're mad at me."

Rachel's voice was quiet. It was the first time she said anything since they got back to the Tower. She was currently sitting on the bed in the medbay, gripping the edge tightly and trying to hold back yelps of pain. Dick pressed his lips into a tight line and kept his focus on her bleeding forehead. Treating the wound was difficult enough without her flinching every few seconds.

He let out a heavy sigh.

"No, Rach, I'm not-" he stopped himself mid-sentence. "No, you know what? What you did was reckless, and stupid, and you could've been killed. So yes, Rachel - I am mad at you."

Whatever she wanted to say in response was immediately replaced by another groan of pain, because at this moment Dick started stitching the wound. 

"I didn't notice the other guy, okay?"

"You shouldn't have been there in the first place. I specifically told you to stay in position."

Rachel winced in pain again. "I saw the opportunity and I took it. You said it yourself that sometimes it's best to act on instinct."

"But not when it puts you in danger!" He snapped at her and Rachel instantly fell silent at the tone of his voice. He didn't mean to be harsh. But she almost had her _skull_ _cracked open_, there was no brushing it off. 

"I'm sorry." she whispered after a moment, her eyes glued to the tiled floor. "I should've listened to you."

His gaze softened.

"Yes, you should have."

"Are we done?"

"Yes." he answered as he put away the tools and took off the gloves. "But you're staying here."

"What? Why?"

He turned back to her.

"You took a serious blow to the head - it knocked you out for 15 minutes. Thankfully the injury is not life threatening, but it's still dangerous. Dawn will give you some meds and run some tests. But you have to stay here for the night." In that moment Dawn entered the room.

"Good news!" she said with a smile. "Just a concussion. You'll be good as new in few days but you need to be prepared for some killer headache. Plus you might get dizzy from time to time, so I suggest you take it easy for a while."

"Which means-" Dick cut in. "No missions until you're healed."

His statement was immediately met with an outcry of refusal.

"What? No, Dick, you can't-"

"Yes, I can. And I will. I'm sorry, Rachel, but it's final."

"So you're grounding me now? You can't do that! You're not my-"

"I am the leader of this team." he interrupted her, his voice stern and loud. He knew exactly what she was going to say. He used the same argument on Bruce too many times to count. "And as a leader I need to put the safety of my team first. If it means keeping you away from the field for a while, for your sake as well as theirs, then so be it."

And with that he turned away and headed towards the door. He almost reached it when he heard Dawn's soft words.

"You have to forgive him. He's just scared."

"That didn't sound like it." Came Rachel's bitter response.

"You got hurt on his watch and now he's blaming himself. He always does it. Especially when it comes to people he cares about."

"He doesn't have to be this harsh about it though." Rachel said sadly and it almost made him turn back and apologize. Almost.

"It's the only way he can deal with it. He's hiding the fact that he's terrified."

"But why?"

"Because it's  _ you _ , Rachel. And you getting hurt - or worse - it's his greatest fear."

***

He came back few hours later, when Rachel was already asleep. Dawn's words were running through his brain this entire time. The truth is - she was right. Dick was terrified. Seeing Rachel just laying there unconscious, blood running down the side of her head, it send cold shivers down his spine. And for a moment his brain shut down. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. Thankfully, the logical part of his brain, the part of him that has been trained to deal with this kind of situation, pushed him to action. 

It didn't matter how much time have passed, it didn't matter that Rachel was okay now - this horrific image was now imprinted in his brain.

He knew he was harsh, maybe too harsh. After all Rachel is just a kid - she's younger than he was when he became Robin. It was obvious she was going to make mistakes and get reckless. 

But this mistake could've cost her her life and he couldn't just let that go. 

He recalled how many times he was in the same situation with Bruce. How often he got reckless himself. And every time Bruce would scold him, and tell him to face the consequences of his actions. 

And Dick would obviously get angry and frustrated, throwing comments like  _ you can't do this _ and  _ you're not my dad _ .

When Rachel tried to use this same argument against him, he finally started to understand Bruce.

Dick came closer to the hospital bed Rachel was sleeping in and sat down beside her. She didn't seem to be in any pain and Dick let out a sigh of relief. 

He slowly lifted his hand and brushed his fingers over her cheek.

"I know I'm not your dad." he whispered. "Not even close. But I'll do anything to keep you safe, even if you don't like it."

He looked at her injury and his throat tightened. His eyes filled with tears.

"Please, Rachel… Don't ever scare me like that again. Because if you go…" he took a shaky breath as his tears rolled down his cheeks. "If you go, I will follow."

He leaned down and pressed a loving kiss to her forehead. Then he wiped away his tears and got up to leave. But when he turned around he was met with Dawn's soft gaze and warm smile. 

"She didn't mean to scare you, you know?"

Dick smiled briefly.

"I know… But seeing her like this, knowing that I could have done something to prevent it and I didn't-"

"Stop blaming yourself." she said as she stepped closer to him and put her hand on his shoulder. 

"But I wasn't there…" he whispered helplessly and let another tear fall down.

"You're here now. Be there for her, take care of her… Help her heal."

Dick nodded. He was definitely going to do that. 

Dawn smiled and turned towards the door. But she stopped before she left and turned back to him.

"And for the record - you  _ are _ her dad. Maybe not by blood, but you're already doing everything a father should do." She paused and looked over at the sleeping girl behind them. "And deep down she knows it."


	6. In The Middle Of The Night, When I'm In This Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are you still mad at me?"  
He looked over at her. Her head was down, she couldn't meet his eyes. She played nervously with a ring on her finger.   
Dick reached out and took her hand.   
"No." he said softly. "I wasn't really mad, I was just… worried."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter 6! I hope you'll love this one as much as I do. It was so fun to write. Again, thank you for all the cudos and comments, especially on the previous chapter 😘 And thank you to everyone who checked out my recent oneshot "Just The Way You Are". After watching 2x02 I just felt the need to write this, so I did. Enjoy this chapter and see you soon with chapter 7 👋👋👋

**CHAPTER 6**

** _In the middle of the night_ **

** _When I'm in this dream_ **

_ It's like a million little stars _

_ Spelling out your name _

_ You gotta come on, come on _

_ Say that we'll be together _

_ Come on, come on _

_ Little taste of heaven _

\- 'Untouchable' by Taylor Swift

***

The entire next day Rachel has spent on the couch in the living room. After a day of following leads and preparation for their next thing, Dick sat down next to her with a heavy sigh. She didn't spare him even a glance, her eyes glued to the TV screen.

They just sat like that in silence for a few minutes.

"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly.

"Better." she replied. "I still feel a little dizzy but my head doesn't hurt anymore."

Dick nodded slowly.

"Good."

"Are you still mad at me?"

He looked over at her. Her head was down, she couldn't meet his eyes. She played nervously with a ring on her finger. 

Dick reached out and took her hand. 

"No." he said softly. "I wasn't really mad, I was just… worried."

She looked up at him. 

"You weren't?"

He squeezed her hand.

"I'm sorry I reacted the way I did. It's just… You have to understand that seeing you like this… I've never been this scared in my entire life." 

Rachel's head fell down again, but Dick could still clearly see tears forming in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

Dick let go of her hand and moved his to her back.

"It's okay. You're okay now, that's all that matters to me."

He then reached out to wipe her tears and whispered.

"Come here."

She immediately leaned into his comforting embrace, resting her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her protectively and pulled her closer to him.

"I promise I will listen to you next time." she mumbled into his shirt. Then she looked up at him. "I mean… if there will be a 'next time'."

Dick raised an eyebrow at her.

"Of course there will be a 'next time', Rachel. You're a true asset to the team." he assured her. "I might be overprotective sometimes but I'm not stupid!"

She nudged him playfully and laughed.

" _ 'Sometimes' _ ?"

"Okay,  _ most of the time _ , happy?"

Rachel shook her head and put it back down on his chest, turning her attention to whatever was on TV.

"More like  _ all the time _ , but okay."

Dick laughed and, following Rachel's example, focused on the TV screen. 

***

_ "Honey, I'm home!" Dick announced happily as he stepped through the front door of his house. He put his car keys and badge away and made his way to the kitchen. He got to finish early today because he finally managed to close the case he's been working on for the past three weeks. Sometimes it feels like detective's work never ends.  _

_ He could smell dinner right from the front door. He let his wife know he'd be home sooner than usual so she could prepare something extra. After all, out of the two of them, Kory was a better cook.  _

_ A sound of hurried little footsteps came to him. _

_ "Daddy!" _

_ Dick smiled softly as he turned around.  _

_ "Hi, baby girl!" _

_ A little black haired girl ran up to him from the living room and jumped into his arms. He picked her up easily and gave her a quick kiss on the nose, which made her giggle. Then he walked over to his wife and kissed her cheek. _

_ "And what my ladies has been up to today?" He asked. _

_ Kory turned away from the dish she was cooking to grab salt. _

_ "Rachel found a bird in the garden." _

_ Little girl in his arms looked at him with excitement and smiled brightly. _

_ "Mommy said it was a raven!" _

_ Dick sat down by the kitchen table and put his daughter on his lap. _

_ "Rach, and what did I say about chasing birds?" _

_ "Not to touch them and not to climb on a tree after them. And I didn't, Daddy! I swear!" _

_ Her big pleading eyes melted his heart. _

_ "Okay, okay, I believe you. Hey, do you remember where exactly you saw that bird?"  _

_ His daughter nodded eagerly. _

_ "Great!" he let her slide back down on the floor. "Go to the garden and find that place so you can show me, okay? I'm right behind you." _

_ Rachel smiled even wider and raced through the back door, laughing. _

_ Kory turned back to him, a playful smile on her lips. _

_ "She's six and she's seeking adventures like a professional. She gets that from you." _

_ Dick smiled as he got up from his chair and walked over to her.  _

_ "Thankfully it's birds and not boys she's chasing after." he joked. _

_ His wife patted his shoulder before turning back to her cooking. _

_ "Just wait ten years." _

_ He was just about to kiss her when an excited voice came to them from outside. _

_ "I found it, Daddy! You coming?" _

_ Dick sighed and walked over to the door. _

_ "I'm coming, sweetie!" _

_ He stepped outside and found his daughter under a big oak tree in the middle of their backyard, right next her swing.  _

_ "It was right here!" _

_ He came closer to her and crouched down beside her. _

_ "And where is it now?" _

_ Rachel pointed her small finger in the air. _

_ "Up there." _

_ "So what do we do now?" _

_ The girl pouted her lips and scrunched her eyebrows, thinking. Then she pointed her blue eyes to the swing. _

_ Dick followed her gaze. _

_ "You wanna swing?" _

_ Rachel nodded excitedly and he smiled. _

_ "Then hop on." _

_ He helped her get on it and started pushing the swing lightly, so she wouldn't fall off.  _

_ Rachel's sweet laugh carried through the backyard and filled Dick's heart with joy.  _

_ His precious daughter was a true miracle. _

***

He woke up with the sound of that beautiful laugh still ringing in his ears. He looked around. He was still on a couch in the living room, the TV was still on, and Rachel -  _ real _ Rachel - slept soundly on his chest. He checked his phone. 2:40 a.m.

_ It was a dream. _

A very vivid dream. All of it felt real.

Dick looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms. In this dream she was not older than six. Dick has never seen any pictures of Rachel at that age, but it wasn't hard to imagine her as a little kid. 

But most importantly, in this dream Rachel was  _ his _ . His own  _ daughter _ . And it felt… normal. Natural. 

That thought alone made his heart jump to his throat.

They were a family. They lived together. They were  _ happy _ .

Dick shook his head. 

_ It was just a dream. She's not… she's not mine _ .

But when he looked at her, curled up against him, he couldn't help but feel differently.

Protecting her was now a second nature to him. Rachel became his priority the day he met her. She always came first - there was nothing more important to him than her safety and happiness.

He never knew what to call these feelings. 

Many times when he was with Rachel, he experienced different emotions as if for the very first time - he has never felt so happy, or proud, or  _ scared _ before. Not in this way. He never knew what it was. Now it finally started to click.

_ A paternal instinct _ . 

Dick smiled at the thought. He honestly didn't think he had it in him. Guess he was wrong all along.

He decided it's best to let Rachel sleep, so he slowly untangled himself from her and carefully lifted her up from the couch, wary of her injury. He took her to her bedroom and put her down on her bed. He took his time to tuck her in, then he sat down next to her and looked at the sleeping girl. 

He imagined what it would be like to tuck her in like that every night. To kiss her forehead and whisper a soft  _ goodnight _ as she's falling asleep. To make her breakfast every morning. Drive her to school and pick her up after. 

And then he realised.

_ I'm already doing this. _

Maybe not every day. But he did all of those things at least once already.

The question is - would she even want him to do that every day? Would she let him? Until now he's been acting purely on instinct and Rachel had never stopped him. So maybe...

Dick shook his head and got up. His thoughts were too confusing, too messy to think about it right now. He really should get some sleep.

He left the room and closed the door as quietly as he could. When he got to his bedroom, he fell onto the bed and fell asleep almost instantly. But the sound of little Rachel's laugh still lingered at the back of his mind.


	7. 'Cause All I Know Is We Said Hello, And Your Eyes Look Like Coming Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The air felt refreshing and the sound of waves crashing on the shore had something relaxing in it. It was peaceful.  
But not in his head.  
His dream from last night came back to him in flashes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Chapter 7! I am sooo excited I can finally post this. Chapters 7 and 8 are the longest and the most important ones, at least for me. Some very important decisions are being made in this chapter. We are finally at the heart of the story guys, I'm so happy! Shout out to everyone who left cudos, commented and has been here since day 1 - it's my first ever multi chapter story and I appreciate a lot that you guys like it. I put my whole heart and soul into this - I really didn't think when I started, that I'll end up being this commited. Anyway, enjoy!

**CHAPTER 7**

** _'Cause all I know is we said hello_ **

** _And your eyes look like coming home_ **

_ All I know is a simple name, everything has changed _

_ All I know is you held the door _

_ You'll be mine and I'll be yours _

_ All I know since yesterday is everything has changed _

\- 'Everything Has Changed' by Taylor Swift (ft. Ed Sheeran)

***

Dick still was the first one to wake up. He took a quick shower and changed into some comfortable sweatpants and a t-shirt. He slowly headed to the kitchen, stopping by Rachel's room on the way. He opened the door quietly, only to find the girl still sleeping. It was an early Sunday morning, so he decided to let her sleep. 

In the kitchen he brewed him a coffee and went with it to sit outside.

The air felt refreshing and the sound of waves crashing on the shore had something relaxing in it. It was peaceful.

But not in his head.

His dream from last night came back to him in flashes.

The feeling of little Rachel jumping into his arms.

Her dazzling smile and bright eyes.

Her beautiful laugh.

And this indescribable feeling of  _ pride _ he felt seeing his little girl's happiness.

But Rachel is not  _ his _ .

And that thought hurt.

He was so deep in his head he didn't notice Donna joining him.

"Good morning." she half-said half-yawned as she took a seat beside him, her own coffee in hand. When he didn't answer, she nudged his shoulder.

"Earth to Dick? Are you awake?"

He ran a hand over his face, trying to get rid of the sleepiness. 

"Yeah, hi. Sorry."

"I'm assuming the couch wasn't as comfortable as it looked like?" she teased, which made him raise an eyebrow at her.

"You saw us?"

"You two were quite hard to miss." She put her mug down and took out her phone from the pocket of her jeans. "The view was too adorable to ignore, and the photographer in me was _thriving_, so obviously I _had_ _to_ take a picture." She said as she was scrolling through her phone, then turned the screen his way. Dick saw himself asleep on the couch, his arms wrapped around Rachel, who was basically spread all over him. He had to admit - it was cute.

"Uh, do you mind sending me this?" he asked her and when she gave him a mischievous grin, he added. "For blackmailing purposes."

She nodded knowingly.

"Yeah, right."

She turned her attention back to her phone for a moment.

"And done."

He smiled at her.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. So what are you doing up so early?"

Dick shrugged and took a sip of his coffee.

"Just wanted to enjoy the sunrise."

Donna gave him a sceptical look.

"Mhmm. And I came her to meditate. What's on your mind?"

"Why do you think there's something on my mind?"

"You have that look on your face… What is troubling you?"

Dick let out a sigh. 

"I had a dream about Rachel. She… she was my kid."

Donna nodded and smiled.

"That's not far from truth. I mean-"

"No, you don't get it." he interrupted her. "She was  _ my child _ . She was around six years old, and we lived together. I raised her, I was her  _ dad _ and-"

"And that made you feel things, didn't it?" Donna concluded.

Dick opened his mouth to say something but changed his mind. He didn't know what to say to that.

"It made you wish it was true and the reality that it's not hurts you." Donna continued and Dick stared at her in shock. Sometimes he forgot she knew him better than he knew himself.

"Something like that…"

His best friend crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair.

"You know, maybe it's a sign."

"A sign?"

"To make it true. To make it  _ official _ ."

Dick squinted his eyes in confusion.

"I don't follow…"

Donna rolled her eyes at him and laughed.

"Sometimes you're so fucking stupid… Have something called  _ an adoption _ ever crossed your mind?"

Dick was stunned. He felt like the air has been knocked out of his lungs.

"You serious?"

"You already have those papers Alfred got you, so social services wouldn't be constantly on our asses. All of that just to send her to school. And you're acting like her dad anyway, so…"

Dick smiled and let out a soft laugh.

"Is it  _ that _ obvious?"

"Please…" Donna snorted. "As if this picture isn't enough evidence. You drive her to school, constantly hover over her to the point of being overbearing - seriously, your overprotectiveness is literally radiating from you. You let her 'borrow' your clothes, banter with her, tease her. And don't even get me started on that one time you almost  _ murdered _ Jason, when he wanted to take her out for ice cream. You only calmed down when Gar offered to go with them as a third wheel."

Dick tried to defend himself.

"You know Jason did it just to mess with me, right?"

"Well, did it work?"

Dick's lack of answer wasn't in his favor.

"See my point?" she continued. "You are already doing everything a dad would do."

Dick let out a sigh.

"I don't know, Donna… Should I? I mean, yeah I do all those things, but honestly, most of the time I have no idea what I'm doing. I don't know what to do or what to say… I don't know what it means to be a parent. I don't know if I'm ready."

Donna was quiet for a moment, thinking.

"Why did you help her?" she asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Back in Detroit - why did you decide to help her? You could've let social workers handle this. What was it about her that made you just drop everything for her?"

Dick thought about it for a second. 

"I saw myself in her." he admitted after a moment. "She just lost everything, her life turned upside down. She was scared and alone… And then, when I tried to leave… she was terrified of being alone. I remember her saying  _ There's something inside of me. Something evil… _ I just knew I had to help her, I can't explain it. And we found more and more similarities along the way."

Donna nodded slowly.

"And how do you feel about it now? Would you do anything differently?"

"No." he answered. "Well, one thing. I wouldn't try to leave her in D.C. I promised her I wouldn't and then I fucked up."

"And how does Rachel make you feel?"

A soft smile spread across his lips.

"Happy. And so damn proud. She is so strong, despite everything she's been through. She pushes through, no matter what. She's… everything I always wanted to be."

"Okay, last question." Donna said as she leaned closer to him and locked her eyes with his. "Do you love her?"

"I do."

There was no hesitation in his voice. He didn't think about the answer. He didn't have to - he just  _ knew _ .

He loved Rachel. More than he thought was possible.

Donna smiled at him brightly.

"Then it's simple to me. Adopt her."

She took her empty mug and got up from her chair. Leaving, she put her hand on his shoulder briefly.

"Think about it."

And with that she stepped into the house, leaving Dick with his own thoughts, a racing heart in his chest, and an abandoned, now cold, coffee.

***

He had this in mind since he rebuild the team. He wanted to be out there, fighting side by side with his friends, just like old times. But he didn't want to be Robin anymore.

_ Be something else. Someone else _ . Donna told him once.

It took some convincing (mostly from the kids) but he finally started preparing a new suit. And long story short - he became Nightwing. 

Dick didn't have much time to think about his conversation with Donna on the patio this morning. Turned out it was a busy day for the team, and they didn't even have to wait until dark to suit up and go. 

Rachel was still banned from missions due to her healing head, but she accepted her fate and came out with them to wish good luck and wave goodbye. He had to admit, the pure shock and admiration in her eyes when she saw him in the suit for the first time (even though she was there through the entire designing process and had a voice in everything) was worth all the nerves and sweat while making it. 

"How do you like it?" He asked her with a smile when she approached him.

"It's… incredible." she breathed out as she brushed her fingers over the symbol on his chest (the one she designed herself) and her smile grew even wider.

"Go out there and kick some ass, Nightwing." 

He grinned at her.

"And where's my good luck charm?"

Rachel put her hands on his shoulders and stepped on her toes to press a kiss to his cheek. Out of the corner of his eye Dick could see as Kory, Donna and Dawn exchanged looks and silent 'awws' and he had to resist the urge to roll his eyes.

"Be safe." Rachel spoke, her expression and tone serious. She turned around to face her friends. "All of you."

After everyone nodded in silent agreement, Gar nudged Dick's shoulder, grinning.

"Come on, man. Say it."

Everyone's eyes were on him. Dick knew what the boy was talking about. He had said that line so many times before, but something about this time really felt special. He looked at his teammates faces and saw pride and respect in their eyes. For them, he was a leader. And for the first time in a while, he felt like one. Then he locked his eyes with Rachel and the pure adoration in her gaze made his heart skip a beat. He remembered, once upon a time wearing the same expression while watching his parents perform in the Haly's Circus. The thought that now he had someone who looked  _ at him _ that way almost made him tear up.

Rachel smiled and squeezed his hand she was holding. So he took a deep breath and raised his head up.

"Titans… Let's go."

***

_ Of course _ such a good day had to end bloody.

This mission looked easy on paper. And it was easy at first. They managed to get the hostages out without anyone getting hurt or worse. But there was one thing they missed.

There was a bomb.

Dick was making a last check up of all the rooms, to make sure they got everyone out, when he found it. It was a homemade device but dangerous nonetheless. 

In theory, he knew how to disarm a bomb. Bruce had taught him that. But the thing is, he had never actually  _ done it _ before. 

_ "What is taking you so long?" _ he heard Donna's voice through his communication device in his ear.

"There's a bomb in the basement. A slacker's job, to be honest. I'm taking care of it."

_ "Get the fuck outta there, man!" _ Hank's voice cut in.  _ "The cops are already here, let them handle this." _

"I'm almost done!" Dick replied as he picked up the wires. 

_ It has to be the red one, _ he thought.  _ It's always the red one _ . 

The explosion happened before he even registered what's going on. The force of it threw him on the opposite wall and the next second everything went black. 

  
  


***

  
  


He woke up to a quiet beeping sound that was annoyingly familiar. He opened his eyes slowly and blinked few times. The room was dark, the only source of light coming from computer screens and medical equipment. He recognized the place after few seconds. The medbay of the Tower. 

He remembered bits and pieces of what happened. The force of the explosion throwing him against the wall. Rubble falling on him. But he couldn't recall how he got back home. It was already dark outside, so he must've been out for a good few hours.

He tried to move and that's when he registered two things. First - his abdomen hurt like hell. A stab wound, for sure. Already patched up but still painful. Probably from a glass shard or something.

And second - a familiar weight pressed to his side. 

Rachel was sleeping soundly, snuggled up to him, with one arm curled around his bicep and the other across his chest. She had her head resting on his shoulder, and when he moved his head to the side he could see her face. 

Even in the dim light he could see her red, puffy eyes and tear tracks on her cheeks. His heart clenched. He just now realised she has been at home when they brought him in, unconscious and bleeding - she must have seen everything. And if her face is any indication - Dick must have looked like he was dying. And maybe he  _ was _ . She was still in her clothes she was wearing during the day, so it was obvious she refused to leave his side and their teammates decided it's best to let her stay here. 

Dick felt a lump in his throat rising. She must have been so scared. He carefully lifted his hand - the one that hasn't been currently trapped in her tight grip - and stroked her hair affectionately.

"Oh, honey…" he whispered, his voice trembling. "I'm so sorry you had to see this."

Turned out her sleep wasn't that deep, because his movement has caused her to stir. Her eyes fluttered open as she slowly raised her head.

"Dick…?" she asked quietly, her voice still raspy and weak from crying. When she met his eyes, a sob of relief escaped her lips.

Dick put his hand on her cheek and brushed it gently, while Rachel propped herself on her elbow to see him better. Dick took this chance to move his other arm and wrap it around her back.

"Hi, sweetheart."

"You're awake… oh God, Dick, you're okay!" she breathed out and leaned into his touch, snuggling her face to the palm of his hand. Dick smiled softly at her and wiped away a tear that escaped her eye. Rachel let out a small sniffle and smiled.

"I thought I lost you."

She was about to cry again, so Dick pulled her to him. She laid back down and put her head on his chest.

"Shh… I'm okay, don't worry."

"You- you were dying." she sobbed and he held her tighter. "And they didn't want to let me in… not- not at first."

Guess it was way worse than he thought.

"I… uh, I tried to speed up the healing process, you know, with my powers? But I couldn't heal all of it, I'm sorry."

"No, don't apologize." he insisted. "It wasn't your fault. This time I was the stupid and reckless one on a mission. It's on me."

Rachel snuggled closer to him, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. He could feel her warm breaths on his skin.

"Now I know how you felt when I got hit in the head." she mumbled, which made him smile. "Don't do that to me again."

"Only if you promise the same."

Rachel smiled against his neck.

"Deal."

They stayed like that for a minute, and Dick was sure she had fallen asleep. He was about to drift off himself when she whispered.

"Dick?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

He opened his eyes and held his breath. His heart was racing and his throat tightened. He didn't expect to hear those words from her. The thought never crossed his mind. On some level he knew it was true - one of the similarities between them was the fact that neither of them liked to talk about their feelings. Expressing them by action? Yes. But not by words.

For Rachel to be this vulnerable with him… 

Dick felt tears forming in his eyes. It was now really coming to him how much he actually loved this kid. He would do anything for her. He would put his life on the line for her in a heartbeat. And he could never,  _ ever _ , imagine his life without her in it. 

He wrapped his arms around her tighter and pulled her closer, ignoring the stinging pain of his injury. Then he pressed a soft, tender kiss to her forehead and felt her release a breath he didn't realise she was holding. And with his lips still lingering on her skin, he whispered softly.

"I love you too, Rachel. So much."

She was everything to him. He couldn't find words in his mind to describe just how much she meant to him. His heart soared when she smiled, and broke when she cried. If he could, he would held her in his arms for eternity. She gave his life a meaning, a purpose. And he would never change that for anything. He couldn't even imagine there's ever gonna be a day again, when he's not by her side. 

He made the decision then. He's never been this sure of something in his entire life. But it was meant to be. This is how it's supposed to be.

There was only one thing left to do.

_ I'm going to adopt her. _


	8. Can You Take a Moment, Promise Me This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel had no clue they were throwing her a birthday party. The only person she had told about her birthday was Gar, and from what he told them, she just assumed the rest of the team didn't know anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Chapter 8! I can't believe I am FINALLY posting this chapter. This is the heart of this story. Fun fact: the most important scene in this chapter (you'll know the one when you read it) id the first scene I have written for this fanfic. And from there it just grew and it became something I am extremely proud of. If you cry over your own work then either it's really good or you're really messed up. Hahaha. Anyway, enjoy! See you on Saturday with chapter 9.

**CHAPTER 8**

** _Can you take a moment_ **

** _Promise me this:_ **

_ That you'll stand by me forever _

_ But if God forbid fate should step in _

_ And force us into a goodbye _

_ If you have children someday _

_ When they point to the pictures _

_ Please tell them my name _

_ Tell them how the crowds went wild _

_ Tell them how I hope they shine _

\- 'Long Live' by Taylor Swift

***

"I'm gonna do it."

Donna and Dawn looked up at him in confusion. They were making dinner together, while Kory went out with the kids. Well - the girls were making dinner, he was sitting by the kitchen table, drinking coffee. It was 2 days after their last mission. Rachel's healing powers helped a lot, and Dick was in almost perfect shape within 48 hours.

"Do what exactly?" Dawn asked slowly, while Donna, who figured out what he meant, flashed him a huge grin.

Dick took a deep breath. _ I can't believe I'm saying it out loud. _

"I'm going to adopt Rachel. Officially. With papers and everything."

Dawn gasped and stared at him with wide eyes, so shocked that she dropped the knife she was holding just a second ago.

"Seriously? That's amazing news!" She went around the table and gave him a quick hug. "Wait - does she know?"

"Uh, no. Not yet."

"Congrats, Boy Wonder." Donna added. "About damn time!"

Dick chuckled. "Thanks."

Both girls sat down next to him.

"So…" Dawn started. "When?"

"As soon as possible." he answered. "Temporary Guardianship expires in 3 weeks. But next week is Rachel's 14th birthday, you know?"

"Of course we know!" Donna replied. "We've already bought gifts."

"I plan to ask her then. She's a teenager so her consent is needed for adoption to even happen."

Donna gave him an amused look.

"I see you did your research."

"Yeah, I stayed up late last night and read some stuff online." he shrugged. "The thing is… I have no idea how to even approach the topic with her. I can't just drop it on her like that!" He admitted. The idea, as wonderful as it was, scared the hell out of him. He had no clue how to tell Rachel about this.

Dawn gave him a warm smile and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You're thinking too much, Dick. Don't use your head. Speak from the heart, and everything will be just fine."

Dick took a sip of his coffee. There was one thing on his mind that was driving him crazy. He was quiet for a moment, then asked.

"What if she doesn't want it?"

Both women looked at him like he just lost his mind. Donna shook her head and smiled.

"You do realise how much this girl actually loves you?"

Dick laughed under his breath.

"Yeah I know. She told me."

"Then you have nothing to worry about." Dawn concluded, patting his shoulder. She got up from her chair and walked over to the stove.

Dick didn't look convinced.

"But what if she doesn't want to change anything? Maybe she wants things to stay the way they are?"

"You won't know until you ask her." Donna told him. "Seriously, Dick. Stop worrying so much."

"She's right." Dawn added. "Just because you'll make it official, doesn't mean things are going to change. She might start calling you 'dad', but other than that - everything will stay the same."

"And there's a bonus." Donna cut in, making Dick raise an eyebrow at her.

"What bonus?"

She gave him a devilish grin.

"She's gonna have _ me _ as her aunt."

***

Rachel had no clue they were throwing her a birthday party. The only person she had told about her birthday was Gar, and from what he told them, she just assumed the rest of the team didn't know anything.

Plan said Kory (as per usual) would take Rachel and Gar shopping, while the rest of the team prepare everything. Hank, as the only one who has any idea about baking, prepared a delicious cake. Dick suggested they could have gotten one from the local bakery, but Hank insisted. Gar took care of the music earlier, so now a playlist of her favorite songs played softly in the background. The gift boxes were stashed behind the couch so she wouldn't see them.

Dick's phone buzzed. A text from Kory.

"They're coming!"

Everyone got in position. They weren't necessarily hiding, but they weren't in the front view either.

Kory, Gar and Rachel came through the front door emerged in a conversation. Rachel was so distracted she didn't notice anything. So Dick gave a sign to start.

"Happy Birthday!"

Rachel's face was priceless. She dropped her shopping bags in surprise, her eyes and mouth wide open. Donna and Dawn were first to hug her while Dick and Hank brought out the cake. At the sight of it, a huge smile had spread across her lips.

"How did you…?"

Dick grinned at her.

"You really thought we didn't know?"

He came over to her and gave her a big hug.

"Happy birthday, Rach."

The girl smiled against his chest as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you, Dick."

"Come on. Time to make a wish."

He led her to the table, where Hank already lighted up the candles. Rachel looked at every person in the room, smiling, then closed her eyes for a moment and blew the candles.

There was a loud applause and whistles after and Rachel couldn't stop grinning.

"Okay, time for presents!" Kory announced and went over to the couch.

Rachel's eyes went wide.

"You got me presents?"

"Duh!" Gar patted her shoulder. "What's a birthday party without presents!"

"Thank you, guys. This is incredible."

Dick noticed that everyone really outdone themselves when it comes to the gifts. Rachel got an entire bag of Game of Thrones merch from Dawn, a collective edition box set of her favorite book series from Hank, a book about the origins of her powers from Kory - she got it straight from the restricted section of Royal Library of Tamaran (which blew his mind, to be honest), designer headphones from Gar, obviously in her significant electric blue color, and a professional set of art supplies from Donna, since Rachel has been very into drawing lately, and he had to admit she was freakin' amazing at it.

But there was one more gift behind the couch.

"And now a little something from me."

Rachel turned away from Kory and scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, because in that moment Dick put a big, silver suitcase with an electronic lock on the table, with a giant blue ribbon on top.

"What is that?"

"Well, I know you've been dying to come back to the field with us, and I guess why not?" he started. "But, you know me, I won't let you go unprotected." Rachel couldn't resist rolling her eyes, but her smile grew wider. Dick reached to the suitcase and opened it. "So I got something special prepared for you."

Rachel gasped as she came closer to him. Because there, right in front of her was a real, fully functional suit.

"Welcome to the team, Raven."

The costume consisted of a black long-sleeved tunic, pants, thigh high leather boots and a long blue cape shaped like bird wings, with a pointed hood - just like her old cardigan. Next to that there was a box with accessories - a weapon belt, an ear comlink, a choker and a bracelet.

Rachel reached out and brushed her fingers over the piece of jewelry.

"Are those… diamonds?"

"Something a little extra from Bruce."

Dick took it out of the box.

"See, it's not just a bracelet. It's a device that will read your vitals and send the data to everyone's phones. Here, let me."

Rachel extended her right hand and Dick put the item on her wrist. The moment the bracelet touched her skin, every phone in the room got the notification. "And if you press this button right here-" he pointed at the big ruby at the center. "It will send us an alert that you need backup. In case we get seperated."

Rachel turned her wrist both sides, admiring the object.

"It's amazing."

Dick smiled at her softly.

"I want you to wear it all the time - just in case, okay? Promise me."

She looked up at him and there was so much happiness in her eyes, that Dick's heart couldn't handle it.

"I promise." And with that she jumped into his awaiting arms, laughing joyfully.

"Thank you so much." She whispered into his ear.

"Only the best for my best girl."

"It's the happiest day of my life." she said when they seperated and looked around at her family.

"Seriously guys, I can't thank you enough."

Dick watched as Kory, Donna and Dawn gushed with her over the suit. Rachel looked so damn happy. That was all that mattered to him. And if he does it right, at the end of the day she's gonna be even more happy.

***

Dick didn't remember when was the last time they let themselves just chill like that and have fun. After the cake, there was time for board games. They played whole afternoon, and when the sun begun to set, they settled for a movie night.

Dick spotted Rachel from his place on the couch. She stood by the window, like almost always at that time. She loved watching the sunset.

Donna sat down next to him.

"I'm guessing you haven't talked to her yet."

He let out a sigh and smiled.

"No."

She nudged his shoulder playfully.

"Then what the hell are you waiting for? Go!"

Suddenly a feeling of panic came over him, because he realised that it's happening _ now _. He's going to do it. He will tell her he wants her to be his daughter.

Donna must have noticed it, because she started laughing.

"Nervous?"

"Like hell."

She patted his back and gave him an encouraging smile.

"It's gonna be fine, you'll see. Now get the fuck out of here."

Dick laughed, then took a deep breath and got up from the couch. He came over to Rachel and offered her a hand.

"Hey, wanna take a walk?"

She gave him a wide smile and happily took it. He led her outside and helped her down a steep, grassy slope. Once they were on the beach they started slowly walking along the shore. Dick continued to hold her hand tightly in his, and after a moment Rachel placed her other hand on his forearm. They walked like that for a while, in a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company. Once they were far enough to be out of everyone's sight, Rachel spoke.

"Thank you for today. I have never really had a birthday party, so that was a first. And that suit is incredible!"

He smiled at her and squeezed her hand.

"You're welcome. We wanted to make this day special for you… And I still want to make it even more special." Dick stopped walking and turned to face her, smiling. He tried to be calm, but he was terrified. Excited, but still scared out of his mind. This was it. The moment he was waiting for what felt like forever to happen. No backing out now.

She looked at him, surprised.

"What, another gift? Dick, you're insane!"

They both laughed at that.

_ Yeah _ , he thought. _ Maybe I am _.

"Well, kind of." He tried to explain. "It's not really something I can give you. It's more of something I wanna ask you."

Rachel's expression changed from excitement to confusion. Damn, it was even harder than he thought it would be. His brain felt empty. Then he remembered something Dawn told him.

_ Don't use your head. Speak from the heart. _

He took her other hand and locked his eyes with hers.

_ Okay, here we go. _

"Before I met you… My life felt meaningless. Empty. It was a never ending cycle of violence and boiled up emotion. On that one day, back in Detroit, everything has changed. There was this girl in front of me, scared and alone, desperately asking for help, and I knew I couldn't look away." Rachel grew even more confused. She had no idea where this was going, which he had expected.

"Dick, what are you doing?"

"I look at her now and I can't believe how far she's come in this short time… No, scratch that - I can. Because she's stronger than anyone I have ever met."

They both smiled at the memory attached to those words.

"And you know how that makes me feel?" he continued. "Proud. I am extremely proud of you, Rachel. I hope you know that."

He noticed tears welling up in her eyes as she shook her head.

"I don't know what to say, Dick. You're kinda scaring me…"

He took one step closer to her and closed both of her hands in between his, not breaking the eye contact even for a moment.

"I know I'm not perfect. I screwed up more times than I can count. I failed you over and over again, and yet you still look at me like I'm a damn hero, and that's the last thing I am. I don't deserve it. I don't deserve _ you _. But there's no way I want us to be apart ever again."

It was getting harder for him to speak, the lump in his throat making it almost impossible. His heart was beating out of his chest. He took a moment to collect himself, then continued.

"In this short period of time since we met, you became the most important person in my life. This change happened suddenly and almost immediately and it scared the living hell out of me. I never thought of myself as the man for the job. I kept telling myself that I can't do family. Not with my past, my… darkness. But you pulled me out of it, you pull me out every time. I was scared of the responsibility. But not anymore."

He took a shaky breath and tried to blink back tears. _ This is it _ , he thought. _ Now or never _.

"Rachel, you're everything to me. I never thought I could love someone so much. But I do. I love you more than anything in the world. And I never want to leave you again. Ever."

She was crying at this point, too stunned to hide her tears.

"I want to be a part of your life. I want you to be a part of mine. Not just any part - the main part. I want to be there for you anytime you need me. I want to protect you. I want you to be safe. To be happy. I want to give you everything you need, everything you want. I want to see you grow and become the best version of yourself. I… I want to see you graduate high school, send you to college. And, as much as the thought of it scares me, I want to see you get married someday and have the perfect life you deserve… And you know, there is one thing I want to do more than any of it right now. Something that will let me do the rest. But I can't do it until you let me."

He didn't even bother to hide his tears when he finally said those words.

"Rachel Roth, will you let me adopt you?"

Rachel let out a gasp as more tears fell down her face. She stared at him, frozen. He knew she probably needed time to process what just happened, so he waited patiently.

That's when she pulled her hands out of his grasp, turned around and started walking away.

His heart dropped to his stomach. That's not the reaction he was expecting.

_ No _ , he thought. _ Fuck, I screwed up again. No, please no. _

He stumbled backwards, his knees shaking.

_ She doesn't want it. I crossed the line. _

Rachel stopped walking suddenly and faced the water. She didn't go far, he could hear her heavy breathing and sobs from where he stood. She knelt down in the sand and hid her face in her hands. She stayed like that for a moment, then got up again and ran her hands through her hair, as if in frustration.

Then she turned to him.

"You really want to do this?"

"More than anything." he confirmed. He took few hesitant steps towards her. "But I won't do anything if you don't want to-"

"No!" she said quickly, making him stop few steps from her.

"I mean… I do. I do want to." Dick felt like his heart wanted to get out of his chest.

"You- you do?"

"Yes. I do."

Rachel started walking towards him, her smile bigger and brighter with each step.

"Yes, you idiot. Of course I do!"

And with that she jumped into his arms, her beautiful laugh ringing in his ears. 

Dick pulled her close to his chest and lifted her up in the air, spinning her around. He let out a joyful laugh as she squealed in excitement. He has never felt so damn happy. And that was just the beginning.

He put her back down and leaned away to look at her face. Her smile was brighter than the sun, matching his own. Dick lifted his hand to wipe away her remaining tears from her cheeks.

"I can't believe it! Dick, are you serious?"

"I have never been more serious about anything in my life, Rach."

They fell silent for a moment, just looking into each other's eyes. Dick rested his hand on her face and brushed her cheek softly. Rachel closed her eyes briefly and leaned in to his touch.

"We're gonna be a family…" she whispered.

"We _ are _ a family. This will only make it official."

"And I'm going to be yours… for real…"

"Rachel…" he whispered. The wave of emotions made it hard to speak.

"You're already _ mine _ . Hell, you are _ the best thing _ that's ever _ been _ mine. You're my kid. My baby girl. My _ daughter _."

He breathed out this last word almost with worship. _ Daughter _. He will be able to officially call her his daughter. That thought alone made him want to burst into tears again.

"And you will… you will be my…"

"Dad." they said in unison. "Yes, Rachel, I will be your dad… " That's when it finally hit him. "Holy shit! I'm gonna be a dad!"

Rachel burst into laughter and hugged him again. The impact almost made them fall into the water, but Dick managed to keep his balance.

"I love you so much." she whispered into his ear. Dick pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, then hid his face in her hair and closed his eyes.

"I love you too."

"So… how is this gonna work?" She asked when she leaned away. "How are we gonna do this?"

He took her hand and they slowly started walking back towards the house.

"Come on, let's go back. I'll tell you on the way."

By the time they reached the house, Dick had explained Rachel the whole process as best as he could. It was a lot to take in, and Rachel listened carefully, asking questions when necessary.

"... and when the adoption will be finalized," he continued. "They will prepare the certificate of adoption for us, and based on that they will make you a brand new birth certificate. Your parents names will be erased and I will be listed as your father and a legal guardian. During this process you can also change your last name if you want."

"I can change…" her eyes grew wide. "You say I can take _ your _ name?"

He smiled at her.

"_ Rachel Grayson _, how does that sound for you?"

And he thought her smile couldn't grow even wider.

"Amazing! And how long this is gonna take?"

"Well, that's the worst part. It can take from a month to a year, depends on the circumstances. But they say online that adoption of a teenager usually goes faster than, let's say, an infant or a small kid."

"I don't want to wait a whole year!" she whined, which made him laugh. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"Me neither, honey. Let's hope we won't have to wait that long."

***

When they stepped back inside, everyone's eyes were on them in an instant. The room was uncharacteristically silent - everyone were waiting on the news. Rachel must have felt it, because she looked up at him and squeezed his hand.

"Go on." He encouraged her. "Tell them."

The girl looked at each one of her friends faces. A wide smile spread across her lips again.

"I'm going to be adopted!"

The room literally _ exploded _ with joy and happiness. Gar ran up to Rachel and hugged her tight, both teenagers laughing loudly.

"Congratulations!"

Donna was the first one to reach Dick as she threw her arms around his neck, Dawn and Hank close behind her. Both women were crying and Hank had a huge grin plastered on his face. He patted his back. "Congrats, man!"

"I hate to say 'I told you so' but… " Dawn teased him, referring to their first conversation back in D.C., which felt like lifetime ago.

"Yeah, I know."

Over her shoulder Dick noticed Kory, who was now holding Rachel in a strong embrace. She whispered something to her ear and the girl giggled. Then the red haired woman looked at him as she let go of Rachel, and Dick had a feeling whatever they were whispering about, it had something to do with him. But he was too happy to care.

Kory approached him with a smile.

"I was wondering when will you finally get the guts to do it."

He raised an eyebrow at her teasingly.

"'When'?"

Kory laughed.

"It was never a matter of 'if' and you know it."

Dick glanced at Rachel, who was currently in Dawn's embrace. The girl had new tears in her eyes, and her happy grin made Dick's heart melt.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

She took another step towards him and put her arms around his neck.

"You're going to be an amazing father. You two are lucky you found each other."

"Thank you." he said as he leaned away. "Not just for this. Don't give away all the credit, Kory. You helped a lot."

She was about to say something when Hank's excited voice interrupted her.

"Since we have another reason to celebrate - who wants round two of the cake?"

***

_ 'When an adoption is pending, the prospective adoptive parents are generally screened by the adoption agency or a social service investigator assigned to your case. Certain documents need to be prepared and filled, several office interviews will take place, and there will be a home visit. A written report with a recommendation for or against the adoption is prepared and forwarded to the court…' _

Dick sighed as he put away his tablet on his bedside table and tried to rub the tiredness from his eyes. It was already late. Everyone has gone to bed after the movie ended and there was no more cake left. Dick smiled at memories of the day. Seeing Rachel this happy and full of joy made his heart swell. The excitement for their future kept him awake, so he decided to read up on the whole process, get more information. He couldn't even count anymore how many articles he had read in those past few days, how many videos he watched. The adoption process was a very exciting experience, but it was also a lot of stress and hard work. A lot of paperwork and waiting. But the final outcome was so worth it.

He was just about to turn off his nightlight when he heard a soft knock on the door. He muttered a 'come in' loud enough for the person to hear it and few seconds later Rachel stepped into the room, barefoot, wearing pajama pants and one of his old t-shirts she had 'stolen' from him.

Dick smiled softly at the sight.

"Can't sleep?"

Rachel returned the smile and shrugged.

"Too many things to wrap my head around, I guess."

He let out a laugh.

"Yeah, tell me about it. Come on, get in." He said as he made room for her in his bed. Rachel closed the door behind her and made her way to him. He laid down on his side as she slid under the covers next to him and turned to face him.

He couldn't help but marvel at how adorable she looked, laying on her side, with her hands folded under her cheek, her big blue eyes looking at him. He lifted his hand and brushed a strand of hair from her cheek.

"So why are you still awake?" She asked quietly as she closed her eyes to his touch.

Dick smiled softly at her.

"Probably the same reason why you're still awake." He continued to brush her cheek as he spoke. "I couldn't sleep so I decided to read a little."

Rachel opened one eye and looked at him, one corner of her mouth lifting in a smile.

"About adoption?"

"Yeah…" he let out a tired sigh. "As amazing as it is, it's also a lot of work I need to be prepared for."

Her face turned into an expression of concern. She lifted herself up on her elbow.

"Is there a problem with something?"

"No…" he whispered and gently pushed her back on her pillow. "Nothing to worry about, really. From what I've read, our case is pretty easy and it shouldn't take a lot of time."

Rachel visibly relaxed and nodded.

She was silent for a moment.

"So…when and where do we start?"

Dick gave her a huge smile. She didn't want to wait. And neither did he.

He turned away from her for a moment, propped himself up and reached to a drawer in his bedside table. He opened it and pulled out a bunch of papers. Then he turned back to her.

"We start with this."

Rachel sat up and took the papers from him carefully. Her eyes filled with tears as she read the headline out loud.

"The Adoption Application Form."

"I'm going to fill it in the morning and then I need to take it to the Family Court."

Rachel let out a soft gasp.

"It all feels so… surreal. Part of me is scared that it's all just a dream."

"Oh it's real." he assured her. "This is just the first step. And when all of this is over, you will officially be my daughter."

Rachel took a deep breath a closed her eyes.

They laid like that, in silence, for a few minutes. Dick found himself watching Rachel closely. This strong, brave and beautiful girl is going to be his daughter.

And it felt… natural. Like it was always meant to be. He never thought of himself as a father material. He was always sure he's not going to have kids. And considering his… 'lifestyle', well… He didn't think he's gonna live that long to have them.

But here she was. Smart. Confident. Powerful. More beautiful than he could've imagined. Maybe not biologically his, but his all the same.

_ There are two kinds of family _ , his mother, Mary Grayson, once said to him. _ The one you're born into and the one you choose _.

He chose Rachel. He would choose her over and over again.

And he felt extremely grateful she had chosen him as well.

Dick was sure she had already fallen asleep, when she slowly opened her eyes again.

"I know I never say it… Because honestly I don't really know how to, but… thank you, Dick. For everything. For saving me. For… not giving up on me. If it wasn't for you, I don't know what would have happened to me. I literally owe you my life."

He slowly reached out to cup the back of her head and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"You don't owe me anything. I did it because I wanted to. I still do. I meant everything I said on the beach. You are my world. Nothing will ever change that."

Rachel smiled softly and snuggled closer to him. Dick instantly wrapped his arms around her tightly and pulled her to his chest.

"I've never had a father figure in my life." She said softly. "I never knew what it meant. And now I have you and it's the best feeling in the world. And to think this is going to be my life now… I am so happy."

She snuggled her face into his shirt and Dick felt her smile.

"Me too. I've never been this happy in my life." He kissed her hair again. "Sleep now. It was a long day."

As if on cue, Rachel yawned.

"Yeah, you're right. Goodnight, Dad."

Dick could've sworn his heart stopped for a second. _ Dad._

"Goodnight, baby."


	9. I Said Remember This Feeling, I Passed The Pictures Around

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three weeks after submitting the application, a social worker's visit has been scheduled. Dick got a phone call few days before so they could prepare. And honestly, he was terrified. He's been reading about this entire process as much as he could, but now that it was actually happening, he couldn't help but feel anxious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter 9! The adoption process begins. I did a lot of research before I even started writing this fic, because I wanted it to be as accurate as possible. I hope it is at least to an extent. I only based it on the info I found online, since I don't live in the US and the adoption process in my country might look a little different. If you have been through something like this, or you know someone who have, and you see some inaccuracies, please let me know in the comments, so I can fix what needs to be fixed. Enjoy!
> 
> Side note: The social worker's name is a little easter egg, I wonder if any of you will figure it out. I'll reveal it in the notes for chapter 10 next week 😊

**CHAPTER 9**

** _I said remember this feeling_ **

** _I passed the pictures around_ **

_ Of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines _

_ Wishing for right now _

\- 'Long Live' by Taylor Swift

***

Three weeks after submitting the application, a social worker's visit has been scheduled. Dick got a phone call few days before so they could prepare. And honestly, he was terrified. He's been reading about this entire process as much as he could, but now that it was actually happening, he couldn't help but feel anxious. He already talked to the team about making sure their vigilante activities are secured and hidden. No mentioning powers or missions. Any weapon they could find hidden in a basement. 

They are just a group of friends living together. He also spoke to Rachel about what they can and cannot reveal about their story. Most importantly - no mentioning Angela or Trigon.

"She's here!" Gar announced happily from his seat by one of the windows. Everyone immediately stood up from the couch in the living room. Few seconds later they heard a doorbell.

"Nervous?" Dick asked Rachel, when the girl followed him to open the door.

"A little, yeah. You?"

Dick smiled.

"Yeah. But we can do this. I know we can."

The social worker was a tall woman, maybe a little older than Dick. She was wearing a white button down shirt and a grey pencil skirt, her blond hair in a high ponytail on her head.

"Hi, my name is Emma McMullen, I'm a social worker assigned to your case. Mr Grayson, I assume?"

Dick shook her hand and invited her inside.

"Yes, that's me. Nice to meet you."

"You too. And you must be Rachel?"

She greeted the girl with a smile.

Rachel nodded eagerly, slightly relaxing and all three of them headed to the living room. Dick and Rachel exchanged a smile. It was finally happening.

They introduced Mrs McMullen to their friends, who then left the room to let them talk. They sat down on the couch as the woman took a folder of documents out of her bag and put it on the coffee table.

"So, as I'm sure you know, I am here to prepare a report for the court. But there's no need to worry." She smiled. "It's not an interrogation. The purpose of a home study is not to find perfect parents. My job is to see if this is a good match between a child or youth’s needs and a family’s ability to meet those needs. It is important to keep in mind that the adoption home study process is actually about the _ process _ and not just the final report."

First, they started with required paperwork. In the past few weeks Dick has been on few meetings and found out what they will need. So the first thing they did was going through their recent physical exam and a statement from a physician, paycheck stubs, income tax forms, savings, insurance policies (including health coverage for Rachel)... Dick had everything prepared. Once the paperwork was done, everyone slightly relaxed.

"To move forward with the adoption, we need to know your story and your reasoning behind this decision." Mrs McMullen stated. "Let's get started, then." She opened her bag and took out a notebook and a pen. "As a part of my homework I checked your backgrounds. Rachel, you have been living with your mother, Melissa, in Traverse City, Ohio till her… tragic passing. Is that correct?"

Rachel was visibly nervous, even more so that the conversation started with her. Dick gently took her hand in his to offer comfort and support.

"Yes, that's correct."

"Can you tell me more about that time of your life? Some reflections, favorite memories…? What was your childhood like?"

Rachel tensed.

"Oh, okay…"

Dick squeezed her hand comfortingly when she looked at him. She didn't like to talk about her childhood. He knew enough to know that it's a difficult topic for her and he never pushed her to tell him more than she was ready for. But he warned her there might be questions during this meeting.

"It was… good, I guess." she started hesitantly. "It wasn't perfect, it was just the two of us, but we managed."

The social worker looked through her notes.

"What about your father?"

Only Dick noticed the spark of panic in her eyes, but she quickly collected herself.

"I never knew him. Only saw him in pictures. His name was Fred and he died in a car accident when I was three months old. Mom never remarried."

The woman wrote something in her notebook.

"So there was no father figure in your life before?"

"No." Rachel replied. "Dick is the first one."

"Alright… and what was your relationship with your mom like?"

Rachel looked down at their joined hands, and Dick wished he could do something to make her feel better. They talked about this before and Rachel knew she will have to talk about Melissa. It didn't change the fact that the wound was still fresh.

"It was okay. We were close. She used to joke that I'm the head and she's the soul of the house, because I remembered important stuff, while she kept the house clean and never left without a prayer."

That caught mrs McMullen's attention.

"Was your mom religious?"

"Very" Rachel nodded. "But I'm not though. Not anymore."

"I understand." the woman replied. "Can you tell me what do you think about her parenting skills?"

"Uhh… She had her head in the clouds and she was a little forgetful sometimes, but she never neglected me. I also learned how to take care of myself pretty early on, so I think that is a good thing. I mean, it came in handy once or twice."

The woman smiled softly at her while fixing her glasses on her face.

"I see. And how do you feel now that she's gone? How are you handling her loss?"

Rachel took a deep breath and looked at him. Dick smiled softly and squeezed her hand again. _ You got this _.

"I miss her, of course. It still hurts and it's hard to talk about it. But I found people who help me feel better, who make it hurt less. She's still with me, Dick makes sure I remember that."

"You two talk about it a lot?"

Rachel smiled.

"Yeah, he always tells me that it's important to remember your past while moving forward."

A warm smile appeared on the woman's face as she looked between the two of them.

"I'm happy to hear that. And Mr Grayson, you've been working as a detective for Detroit Police Department at the time of Mrs Roth's passing. You transferred there from Gotham PD, is that right?"

Dick nodded.

"Yes."

She had a similar set of questions for him. She asked about his childhood and his time at the Haly Circus. He talked about his parents deaths and how he handled it. It was hard to come back to those memories, but if Rachel could do it, so could he.

"And after their passing you went under the care of no other than mr Bruce Wayne, is that right?"

Dick smiled at the hint of amusement in her voice. Yes, he was a Wayne kid, so what?

"Yes, it is." he replied. "He was in the audience that night, he saw everything. The next day I learned that he volunteered to become my foster parent."

"And what were your thoughts on that matter?"

Dick thought for a moment.

"I wasn't happy at first. There was another person I wanted to stay with - Clay, a family friend and a member of our circus. But he explained to me how staying with Bruce was a better idea. That he could provide me everything that Clay couldn't. So, as much as I hated it, I listened."

The social worker nodded and made some notes.

"What was your relationship with mr Wayne like?"

"It was a rocky road. I was a rebellious kid and Bruce didn't have much experience with children. But after some time we… found the common ground, I guess."

"In what way?"

"We… share some traumatic experiences. We found similarities between us that helped us bond. He used his knowledge and experience to take my grief and anger and channel it into something more… productive. I didn't always like his methods, but they can be useful."

"And how is your relationship now?" she asked and Dick leaned back on the couch, visibly relaxing. The hard part was done.

"We're on good terms. We see each other from time to time. I ask him for advice and guidance whenever I feel like I need it."

The woman gave him a warm smile.

"That's wonderful. Now I would love to hear about how the two of you have met?"

They spend another 30 minutes talking about their first meeting in Detroit and everything that happened after that. They obviously avoided topics like evil cults, demonic powers or vigilantism. But they still managed to cover the whole story pretty accurately. During that time Rachel completely relaxed and leaned back on the couch as well, resting her head on Dick's shoulder. He watched as a soft smile appeared on mrs McMullen's face at the sight.

"I see that you have build a very strong bond during those few months. Can you tell me what this relationship means to each of you?"

Dick and Rachel glanced at each other. He nudged her shoulder to let her know she can go first. The girl smiled at him and nodded, then turned her attention back to the woman.

"He saved me." She started. "After my mom died I was scared and alone, and I didn't know what to do. I came to Detroit by accident. I didn't think that after everything that happened my life will ever get better. And then he showed up. Neither of us had any idea what to do. And honestly, I know I didn't make it easy for him." She looked at him briefly and squeezed his hand. "But he stayed anyway. I… I always felt very lonely. I lived thinking that everyone will eventually leave me, sooner or later. I will never forget the moment when he looked me in the eyes and said _ You're not on your own. You have me. I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere _ ." Rachel's voice wavered and Dick immediately wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She took a shaky breath and continued. "It was the first time someone had said that to me and actually meant it. It was also the first time that _ I believed it _."

Dick watched as one single tear slid down her cheek and Rachel quickly wiped it away. She took a moment to collect herself and smiled. "He didn't have to do anything for me, but he did. And I will be forever grateful for that. I am just so happy we found each other."

Dick smiled and pulled her closer to him, kissing the crown of her head.

"Me too." he continued for her, watching as she snuggled closer to him. "Before I met Rachel I was in a dark place. And then I meet this kid and it's like there's suddenly a light at the end of the tunnel. Before, my life felt meaningless. But Rachel gave it a purpose. I found someone who needed me. And that brought me right back to… life, I guess. We both went through some stuff we wish we could forget. But we help each other get through it, we pull each other out of the darkness. I feel like… I think we were meant to find each other, to _ save _ each other. We did it and we will continue to do it every day."

Mrs McMullen couldn't stop smiling while writing down some notes in her notebook. She closed it after a moment and put it back in her bag.

"There's nothing more beautiful to me than two broken souls who help each other mend." she concluded. Then she got up from her chair and Dick and Rachel followed her. "I think that would be all for today's interview. There will obviously be more, I'll be back. But there's one more thing I would like to see today." She looked over at Rachel and smiled. "Would you mind showing me around? I would love to see your room."

"Of course" the girl replied. "This way." And the two of them vanished in the hallway.

As soon as they were out of sight, Donna stepped into the living room.

"So, how did it go?"

Dick laughed under his breath and shrugged.

"I think we did pretty great."

She came over to him and wrapped her arm around his shoulders loosely.

"As I knew you would."

Dick looked over at her.

"This is really happening, huh?" he asked. "I'm really doing this."

"Yep." she patted his shoulder. "You are. I'm proud of you. I always knew you would be an amazing father."

"Really? How?"

Donna gave him one of her most recognizable smiles and he knew what he's gonna hear next.

"I'm older, smarter and prettier." she said, grinning like a devil. "You know the drill."

***

The social worker visited them another four times in the next three months. Mrs McMullen had conversations with Dick and Rachel, together and separately, and she also talked with other household members. Her questions mostly revolved around school and work, and how the family is feeling about the adoption.

In the meantime, their life went on. They had quite a few successful missions, which felt really good. Dick couldn't resist a smile every time he remembered seeing Rachel in her suit for the first time - he almost started crying, but he collected himself before anyone could notice. And there was a lot of improvement in her training, which made her almost unstoppable in the field. Doctor Light will remember not to mess with her again for the rest of his life, Dick was sure of it.

He was currently in the training room himself, practicing with Escrima sticks. Guess he found his new favorite fighting style. There was loud music in the background and he was very focused on what he was doing, so he didn't notice that someone else entered the room. That was until he did a series of backflips and landed face to face with Rachel, who had a mischievous smirk on her face. He went to turn off the music and grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat from his face.

"That was impressive." she commented. "Sometimes I forget you actually grew up in a circus."

Dick let out a laugh.

"Yeah, the old tricks come in handy sometimes." He came over to her. "What's going on? I thought Donna was taking you out for shopping."

"Oh, we're still going." Rachel nodded. "But I have something for you." she said as she got a white envelope from the back pocket of her jeans. "Guess what came in the mail today."

Dick took it from her quickly and opened it. He unfolded the document and read through it, a huge smile growing on his face with each word. Then he looked at Rachel who was staring at him with her big blue eyes and grinning.

"Our adoption finalization court hearing is next week, Rachel." he breathed out. "It's all gonna be done in a week, you understand?"

Rachel smiled even wider.

"No more waiting?"

"No more waiting."

Both of them started laughing and Dick pulled her into his arms, spinning her around. She squealed in excitement as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Oh God, finally!" she said when he put her back down. "This waiting was killing me."

"Yeah, me too. But not too long now."

He ruffled her hair playfully.

"You better go now, Donna is probably waiting for you. And get yourself something nice, I want my girl to be the prettiest one in the world on our big day."

Rachel rolled her eyes as she headed towards the exit. "I _ always _ get myself something nice. It doesn't matter, really, you would say I'm beautiful anyway."

Dick gave her a huge grin.

"Just telling the truth."

"Yeah, whatever." she waved at him. "And _ please _, take a shower, dad. You stink."

And she left the room before he could say anything.

He laughed under his breath and lifted his Escrima sticks from the ground. Rachel started calling him 'dad' more and more recently, trying to get used to it, and it always melted his heart when she did so. Hearing this word from her… it was the best feeling in the world. And in just a week, this simple word will become a reality. After months of waiting, it will finally be over.

Dick put his weapons back on their place and let out a sigh. Yeah, he really needed that shower.


	10. We Were The Kings And The Queens, And They Read Off Our Names

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The week flew by and before they knew it, the big day came.  
Dick stood in front of a mirror in his bedroom, tying his tie. He pulled out his best suit, the graphite grey one he hasn't been wearing in a while. His insides were twisted in tight knots, but this time it was a good feeling. They waited for so long and the day was finally here.  
Today Rachel will officially become his daughter, and he couldn't be more happy about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter 10! It's the adoption day, let's celebrate! I feel extremely grateful for all the cudos and comments, your support means everything to me. I am very excited (but also sad) because the next chapter is the last one. I'm almost done writing it and it will be up on Saturday as usual. To write this chapter, I watched a lot of Youtube videos from finalization hearings and I combined two of them to figured out what the judge could say. If you want to watch them (and maybe cry a little like I did) you can find them here:  
https://youtu.be/peigVPNGVEo  
https://youtu.be/9NgBWfo-e-o  
And as always, enjoy!

**CHAPTER 10**

** _We were the kings and the queens_ **

** _And they read off our names_ **

_ The night you danced like you knew our lives _

_ Would never be the same _

_ You held your head like a hero _

_ On a history book page _

_ It was the end of a decade _

_ But the start of an age _

\- 'Long Live' by Taylor Swift

***

The week flew by and before they knew it, the big day came.

Dick stood in front of a mirror in his bedroom, tying his tie. He pulled out his best suit, the graphite grey one he hasn't been wearing in a while. His insides were twisted in tight knots, but this time it was a good feeling. They waited for so long and the day was finally here.

Today Rachel will officially become his daughter, and he couldn't be more happy about it.

After being done with his tie, he fixed his hair one last time and headed to the living room. He almost reached his bedroom door when he remembered something. His eyes landed on his drawer, where a small box laid hidden under his clothes. He took it out and slowly opened it. He should have given this to Rachel a while ago. But today of all days felt like the perfect moment.

He stopped by her room on his way and knocked lightly. After a muffled 'come in' came from inside, he opened the door and stepped through it. Rachel stood in front of her mirror in a beautiful medium-length navy blue sleeveless dress with a flared skirt. It was covered with fine lace, and the shallow neckline was decorated with white flowers.

There was only one thing that came to Dick's mind at this sight.

_ My girl is a princess. _

Rachel turned to him with a smile.

"I hope it's not too much."

She turned back to her reflection and tried to smooth the nonexistent wrinkles. Dick came to stand behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, making her stop and look at him in the reflection.

"It's perfect."

"Are we leaving already?"

"In a few minutes." he replied. "I came to give you something."

Rachel rolled her eyes, folded her arms over her chest and smirked as she turned to him.

"You are officially becoming my father today, what else could you possibly give me?"

Dick laughed under his breath as he reached to the back pocket of his suit and took out the box. He would give her the moon if he could.

"Did I ever tell you why, of all names, I've chosen Robin?"

Rachel shook her head, confused.

"Well, it was a nickname my mom gave me when I was a kid. And it all originated from this." He opened the box to reveal a small silver necklace with a bird pendant. A robin.

Rachel gasped at the sight.

"It belonged to her - she got it from her own mother when she was around your age." he explained. "She was supposed to give it to her daughter or granddaughter one day. So… I'm keeping the tradition alive. Now it's yours."

Rachel turned back to the mirror and took her hair away so he could put the necklace around her neck. She watched in awe as the silver bird touched her skin.

"It's beautiful…" she whispered, brushing her fingers over it.

"She always told me it was her lucky charm." Dick spoke after a moment of silence. "And maybe there was some truth in it, because the only time she ever took it off, was the night she died."

Her eyes clouded with sadness for a second when she turned back to him, her face down.

"What would they think of me?" she asked quietly. "Your parents?"

Dick smiled softly as he put two fingers under her chin and gently lifted her head up so she could meet his eyes.

"They would have adored you." he assured her. "They would have been so proud of you, so happy to have you. And they would have loved you as much as I do."

Rachel smiled and her eyes sparked with tears. She quickly blinked few times to get rid of them and laughed.

"Stop making me cry, dad. I put a lot of work in this makeup."

Dick chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his side.

"Come on, let's go. Everyone's already waiting."

***

"I've been called in a matter of an adoption of a teenage girl named Rachel Roth, and I want to welcome all of you." The judge started and Dick felt excitement rise in his chest. Next to him Rachel took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves, and he tightened his grip on her hand under the table. They locked eyes for a moment and smiled at each other. It seemed like the same thought was running through their heads.

_ Finally _.

The judge approached them, shook their hands and took a seat in front of them as she laid out some documents on the table.

She looked at Rachel and gave her a warm smile.

"Are you nervous, darling?"

Rachel smiled back and shrugged.

"Trying not to be."

"There's nothing to be worried about, really." The woman comforted her. "So, what we're gonna do today is… We're gonna go through the paperwork, which you're familiar with and I'll be asking you some questions, alright? The first question is kinda silly, but it's required so… do you want to proceed with this adoption?"

A cheerful laugh carried across the room and Dick couldn't help but grin like an idiot when he and Rachel replied "yes" in unison. He looked around. Everyone they cared about, their entire family was there - Kory and Gar sat closest to them, behind them were Dawn, Hank and Donna. And in the last row there was Clay, constantly filming everything with his phone, and Bruce, who even dragged Alfred and Jason along. Rachel followed Dick's gaze and her eyes widened in shock at the sight of her soon-to-be grandfather.

"You didn't tell me he was gonna be here." She whispered to his ear.

"I invited him, but I wasn't sure if he's gonna come. Justice League business and all that." he whispered back and Rachel nodded. She had figured out that Bruce is Batman a while ago, Dick didn't have to say a thing. And he was glad that he didn't have to hide it from her.

"Now we're gonna sign the adoption agreement. Rachel, since you are above 12 years old, you're signing it too."

The judge gave them the document and pointed in which places they needed to sign.

"Now that this is done-" the judge continued. "I would like to know, mr Grayson, what made you make this decision? Why do you think you are the best fit to be a parent to this girl?"

Dick took a deep breath and felt Rachel squeezing his hand reassuringly.

"When I met her she had no one left. And somehow she found me. I didn't know what that meant, or where this was going to take me, but from the moment she asked for my help, I knew I couldn't leave her. I saw myself in her - I was fortunate enough to find loyal friends and a loving family when I lost everything. Now I want to make sure she's given the same. I… I think I loved her since the moment I met her. And I want to continue to love her, take care of her and guide her. I want what's best for her. I want to see her grow and raise her to be the best, true version of herself. On the day we met, I promised Rachel I would never leave her. And I intend to keep that promise."

The judge nodded with a smile.

"And what about you, Rachel? Why do you think this is what's best for you?"

Rachel looked at him a smiled brightly.

"He's the best thing that ever happened to me." she confessed, making his heart grow. Then she turned back to the woman. "I know I've said it before, but Dick really saved my life. For the first time in a while, if not ever, I feel safe, and happy, and most of all loved. I have people who will support me and stand by me no matter what, and all of that because I met him. I am proud to call him my family, he's the best dad I could ever ask for."

Dick smiled at her softly and squeezed her hand under the table in a silent _ thank you _.

Her words meant everything to him.

After that the judge wanted some 'outside perspective' as she called it, so she asked their friends to say a few words and share their thoughts about his decision.

Donna referred to their childhood. She talked about how meeting Bruce changed his life for the better in some ways, even if he wasn't always aware of that. How she noticed this caring, almost nurturing side of him very early on, even when he did everything to hide and repress his true feelings.

"I always knew that someday he will become an excellent father." she finished. "Rachel is one lucky girl to have him."

Dawn talked about that day he had showed up on their doorstep in D.C. with Rachel by his side. She pointed out how, even though they've known each other for less than 24 hours at this point, him and Rachel already developed a bond stronger than anything she had ever seen.

"I knew he acted on instinct." she remembered. "I knew he didn't think this through. And it seemed to scare him. But there was something in the way they interacted with each other, in a way he looked at her. I knew his heart was committed even before he realized that himself. He said earlier that he thinks he loved her from the very beginning, and I can honestly say that it's true."

Kory went back to their beginnings as a team, when even though they were basically strangers to each other, when they were just getting to know each other, Dick had always tried to make sure Rachel is safe and protected, especially when he wasn't around.

"She was his priority from the start. He didn't always know what to do, he needed to learn a few things along the way. But he took this responsibility very seriously."

Gar spoke more from Rachel's perspective, how meeting Dick helped her open up to people, and how his care and support changed not only her life, but his own too.

"He's not just a perfect dad." he concluded. "He's a teacher and a mentor. A best friend when you need one. Someone who will show you how to fight your own battles, but will step in if necessary. I don't know anyone better for this job."

Dick was extremely grateful for their words. He knew they meant everything they said. After Gar came back to his seat, Dick turned to them and whispered a quick 'thank you', and his heart grew with each smile he received in response.

"So the next thing we're gonna do is the adoption order." The judge announced. "And for the record, I have reviewed the file, and with the addition of everything I heard today, I believe it is in Rachel's best interest to be adopted by you, mr Grayson."

Dick's heart started beating faster in his chest as he signed the document. This was the final step. The judge took the papers from him and signed them herself, then she looked up at the two of them and smiled brightly.

"So by signing this document I hereby declare you are now parent and child under the law, with all the rights and duties of a parent-child relationship, but most importantly, all the joys." She announced and Dick's eyes welled up with tears of happiness. "Congratulations. Rachel, you are officially a Grayson now."

The girl gasped and looked up at him with wide eyes. He couldn't resist grinning like crazy when they stood up and he opened his arms for her.

"Come here."

Rachel let out a joyful laugh and jumped right into them as a sound of loud cheers erupted around them.

"I love you so much, dad." she whispered into his ear and he wrapped his arms around her tighter.

"I love you too, baby girl." he breathed out, feeling completely overwhelmed with happiness. His daughter snuggled closer to him and hid her face in the crook of his neck, trying to hold back a sob. Dick wasn't surprised, he felt like crying himself. He put his hand in her hair, stroking it gently and pressed a soft kiss to the side of her head.

They let go after a moment and looked at each other. Rachel reached out to his face with a trembling hand and wiped away the tears he didn't even know he had shed.

***

As it usually happens, they took some pictures after, posing with the judge and the document in hand. After that they were free to go. Once they were in the hallway, Dick and Rachel were immediately surrounded by their family. There were hugs, handshakes and tears.

"Your parents would be so proud of you."

Clay told him when they embraced and Dick only managed to nod, because a sudden lump in his throat made it hard to speak. He wished his parents could be here, in what was one of the best, happiest moments of his life. He wished John and Mary Grayson were able to meet their granddaughter. But he will make sure she knows everything about them.

"And you know," Clay continued. "Mary would be obsessed with this little lady." He pointed his head towards Rachel, who was currently surrounded by Kory, Donna and Dawn, taking selfies and laughing. She noticed them looking and walked up to them, immediately sticking herself to Dick's side.

"Yeah" Dick chuckled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Believe me, I know."

That's when they noticed Bruce Wayne walking their way, so Clay patted Dick's shoulder, smiled at Rachel and left.

"Congratulations." The man said as he put his hand on Dick's shoulder briefly. Then he turned to Rachel, who tensed slightly, undoubtedly intimidated by him. He gave her his version of a warm smile, and said.

"Nice to finally meet you, Rachel. Your dad has told me a lot of great things about you. I am very happy for the two of you."

Rachel gave him a shy smile.

"Thank you, sir."

"Oh, no need to call me 'sir', dear." Bruce laughed and Dick marveled at the sight. Bruce, so open and at ease with children? That's a first. "After all I am your grandfather now." Bruce leaned down a little to be on the same eyes level with her, then whispered.

"I hope you're putting your suit to good use."

Rachel, finally relaxed, smiled proudly.

"Of course I am… grandpa."

Bruce let out a quiet laugh, patting her cheek gently, and Dick just stood there, too stunned to react. Guess getting a grandkid does that to person.

"I'm counting on seeing you in action one day." Bruce said as a mischievous smirk appeared on his face. "Just try not to give your father too many heart attacks while in the field, alright? Recklessness was his domain back in the day, don't try to inherit that particular thing from him."

Dick snorted and shook his head.

"Nothing to worry about, Bruce."

The older man smiled proudly.

"I hope so. I'm sorry I can't stay longer, but The League requires my presence." He patted Dick's shoulder. "Once again, congratulations. See you soon, I hope?"

Dick smiled and nodded.

"See you soon."

***

"I would like to raise a toast." Dick announced, lifting his glass in the air. "For our family."

They were back at the Tower, celebrating. There was cake, a bottle of cold champagne and Rachel's favorite strawberry soda. They were standing in a circle in the center of the living room, each one of them with a glass in hand. Dick held his daughter close to his side with one arm around her shoulders.

"Family isn't always blood." he continued.

"It's the people in your life that want you in theirs. The ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what. I am grateful that I found that in all of you and I am so happy that I get to share that with my daughter."

He felt Rachel squeezing him tighter and smiled.

"This is truly one of the greatest days of my life." he concluded. "And I am very excited for the future." He looked down at his girl who's smile was bigger and brighter than the sun.

"We'll see how excited you'll be the day you send her to college." Hank teased him with a smirk.

"Or when she gets a boyfriend." Kory added, laughing.

"Guys, don't scare him." Donna cut in, and Dick was just about to thank her when she grinned at him and added. "You're spoiling the fun."

Everyone burst out laughing, and something told Dick that now he won't hear the end of it.

But honestly? He didn't care. Not when the most precious person in his world stood next to him, tucked safely under his arm.

If someone had told him a year ago that he'll be back here, in the only place that ever felt like home, holding his own daughter in his arms… He would probably punched them in the face.

But here she was, surrounded by people who loved her dearly and unconditionally.

It wasn't a dream, a vision or some sort of hallucination - that perfect life he never would have imagined for himself was real, and it was just the beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh and I almost forgot! The easter egg! So, the name of the social worker comes from one of Brenton's movies "Blue Lagoon: The Awakening". His character's name was Dean McMullen, his girlfriend's name was Emma, so... You see what i did 😉 I went through Brenton's filmography durring writing this chapter, that's where I got the inspiration.


	11. Long, Long Live The Walls We Crashed Through, All The Kingdom Lights Shined Just For Me And You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick and Kory got married when Rachel was 16...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter 11. I'm happy to annouce that IT'S FINISHED. It's sad for me to say goodbye to this story, but I am so proud of it. It's been quite a ride. I started writing this 4 weeks before season 2 premiere. So... 9 weeks ago? Wow. I am beyond grateful for all the hits and cudos and comments. A special shoutout goes to @Purplefangirl23 for commenting on every single chapter - you are the best, thank you so much 😘 So, for the last time in this story - ENJOY!

**CHAPTER 11**

**THE EPILOGUE**

** _Long, long live the walls we crashed through_ **

** _All the kingdom lights shined just for me and you_ **

_ And I was screaming, "long live all the magic we made" _

_ And bring on all the pretenders _

_ I'm not afraid _

\- 'Long Live' by Taylor Swift  


***

Dick and Kory got married when Rachel was 16. It was a small but beautiful ceremony at the Wayne Manor, with just family and closest friends. Few members of the Justice League were also invited, like Diana or Clark. Alfred officiated the wedding, Hank was the Best Man and Rachel Maid of Honor.

And, as a Maid of Honor, she was getting ready to deliver a speech.

His daughter looked stunning, dressed in a pastel purple, long, flowy dress, with white roses in her long black and blue hair.

She was growing into a beautiful woman right before his eyes and Dick couldn't help but feel nostalgic.

Rachel stood up from her seat next to him and headed to a spot in front of them, where few minutes earlier Hank gave his own speech. She was joined there by Gar and the two teenagers exchanged a mischievous smirk.

"I know I was supposed to do this speech alone." Rachel started, gaining everyone's attention. "But me and Gar decided to join forces and make it extra special. Oh, and… By the way, me and Hank have a contest of who will have a better speech, and Hank? I'm sorry but you're about to lose."

Hank, who was sitting next to his wife few seats from Dick, pointed a finger on her.

"Hey! There's two of you, that's not fair!"

Dawn burst out laughing at his remark, holding herself by her growing baby bump. They got married a year prior and now they had a baby girl on the way.

Gar wrapped one arm around Rachel's waist and bumped her shoulder, causing her to smile. She looked at him and nodded, then turned to the guests and spoke.

"At some point at school they always ask you: what is a family?"

"And the most popular answer is: a mom, a dad and a kid." Gar replied.

"But sometimes…" Rachel added. "A family is a vigilante/detective..."

"An alien princess with amnesia…"

"A half demon kid-"

"And the kid's green best friend… who's basically like a second kid."

Dick and Kory looked at each other and laughed. Only Gar and Rachel could cook up something like this. His wife took his hand and leaned on his shoulder, watching the kids closely. This should be fun.

"The beginning of our story sounds like a start of a joke." Gar continued. "I mean… Four strangers are stuck in a fancy Porsche…"

People around them started laughing, completely drawn to the show these two were putting on.

"But that's what it is." Rachel added. "It's our story. And we wouldn't change anything in it."

The boy patted her shoulder.

"Hey, remember that day we found out these two were a thing, back in Chicago?" he asked, pointing his finger at the newlyweds.

"You mean the day _ you _ found out, because I already knew." The girl rolled her eyes.

"Wait, how did you find out?"

"Pffft… He was a goner the moment he met her. Come on, Gar, we were both there!"

Kory snorted against his shoulder, unable to stop herself. Dick shook his head and smiled at the kids.

"And I remember asking you _ Do you think it's like thinking about your parents? _"

"I guess you were right all along, Gar."

The kids then turned to face them, and when the four of them locked eyes, it felt like everyone else disappeared. It was just them now.

Rachel took a deep breath and spoke again.

"You two treated us like your own kids from the very beginning. You didn't know us, you didn't know each other, and in one way or another, you didn't know yourselves. But that didn't stop you. And we're thankful for that."

"You took us under your wings, cared for us and protected us. You became the parents we've never had, even if you didn't realize that at first."

"And we've been there to watch you fall in love and create this weird, beautiful and fantastic family we're so proud of."

Gar and Rachel exchanged a quick glance and smiled. The girl's eyes welled up with tears and the boy took her hand, then both took one step forward.

Gar was the first one to speak.

"Dick, thank you for being the best father figure I could ask for. I don't need papers or anything to think of myself as your son - you treating me this way is enough."

Rachel gave Kory one of her most beautiful smiles.

"And Kory… I always wanted to call you 'mom' and I am so happy I finally can. We love you both so much and we're so happy for you."

His wife was already crying at this point, Dick was on the verge of tears himself. Kory lifted her head from his shoulder and sighed.

"We really don't deserve these angels."

Dick laughed under his breath.

"No, we don't."

They stood up from their seats and went over to them, as people around them started clapping and cheering. Out of the corner of his eye Dick noticed Donna and Dawn hugging each other, laughing through tears.

Dick opened his arms as they approached the kids, and Gar and Rachel immediately ran into them.

All four of them melted into a group hug, laughing and crying at the same time. Dick gathered everyone in his arms and kissed the kids' heads.

"We love you both so much." Kory whispered to them, her voice cracking from emotions. Gar put his head on her shoulder and smiled, while Rachel snuggled closer to Dick's chest.

He felt the lump rising in his throat again. There were no words to describe how incredible this feeling was, to hold your entire world in your arms. He couldn't me more grateful.

***

The school's gym hall was almost full, people pouring in from every entrance. The faint sound of instruments carried over the noise as the band made the last preparations. There was an almost impossible amount of red, white and gold everywhere, the school's colors presented in all glory. There was a podium at the center of the room and the principal was about to start the show.

Dick and the rest of the family already took their seats on the stands. Donna was somewhere in the crowd, taking pictures, him and Hank were currently scanning the area for any potential threat (just because they got their families now didn't mean they stopped being Titans), while their wives were focused on taking care of the children. Dawn sat down to fix little Alison's braids, while Kory bounced little Johnny in her arms, making him laugh. Their son wasn't even a year old and he was a splitting image of his parents, both in looks and character.

"Can you see them?" she asked him, just as the toddler in her arms tried to take off her earing. Dick stretched out his arms and took the boy from her, letting her rest for a moment.

"They are supposed to be down there with other graduates, but they can be anywhere in this sea of red caps and gowns." He answered while Johny tried to push his tiny fist into his mouth. Dick kissed the boy's hand instead, making him giggle.

The band started playing, getting everyone's attention. The principal entered the stage, as all the seniors stood up from their seats and Dick felt excitement rising in his chest.

Gar and Rachel's high school graduation has officially begun.

There were few speeches, some performances, but finally the moment everyone has been waiting for had come. The principal started reading names, and one by one, every student entered the stage to get their diploma.

"Rachel Grayson."

Dick's heart skipped a beat the moment he heard the name. It's been four years since the adoption but hearing his name next to hers still made him emotional.

The girl stepped on the podium, quickly looking at the crowds, searching for familiar faces. She smiled when she found them waving at her, then shook the principal's hand and, with her diploma in hand and a smile on her face, she returned to her seat below the stage.

Gar had his moment few minutes later, when it was his turn. He entered the stage with a huge grin on his face, radiating with energy, shook the principal's hand maybe too much and basically jumped off the stage, laughing. He took his seat next to Rachel and the two of them bumped shoulders.

Dick felt proud. These two had been through hell and back, so seeing them now like this, happy and successful, was everything to him. It was all he ever wanted for them.

The crowd started cheering when the caps were thrown in the air. And soon everyone began to leave their seats to reunite with their kids.

"Mom! Dad!" Rachel called as soon as she spotted them. Dick turned around with a smile and she jumped right into his open arms. Gar went straight to Kory and Johnny, hugging them tight and kissing the boy on the nose.

"I'm so proud of you, honey." Dick spoke as soon as he let her go. Then he turned to Gar and pulled the boy to him as well. "Both of you."

"Thanks dad." Gar replied, patting his back.

Meanwhile Rachel took her little brother from Kory, who immediately got out her phone and started taking pictures of them.

His daughter locked eyes with him.

"We wouldn't be here without you."

Dick's heart grew at the sight. Rachel made it her mission to be the best big sister in the universe since she found out Kory was pregnant. And Johnny _ adored _ her. They were endlessly adorable together.

"Oh, there you are!"

He turned around to see Donna pushing through the crowd, her camera in hand.

"I hope you got some pretty nice shots out there."

His best friend rolled her eyes.

"Have you met me? Of course I do. But there's one more we need." She waved her hand at Kory and Rachel. "Come on, girls! Family portrait with the graduates!"

Everyone gathered for the picture, Dick and Kory embracing the kids in between them. Gar threw his arm around Kory, who was now holding Johnny, and Rachel snuggled to Dick. They all smiled at the camera, while Donna got to work.

***

The Chicago apartment was a graduation gift from Bruce. Gar and Rachel got into the same college in the city and there was no way they were staying in a dorm. Nothing changed since the last time they were here and the view brought back some memories.

The kids already unpacked most of their things and now all four of them were back in the living room.

"You know? I actually missed this place." Gar said as he walked around.

"Are you sure you got everything?" Dick asked, mentally checking the list of everything they were supposed to bring.

Rachel jumped on the couch and rolled her eyes.

"Yes, dad. We are. Stop worrying!"

"Yeah!" Gar sat down beside her. "We checked everything twice."

Dick felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Kory giving him a warm smile.

"Don't hover, Dick." she sighed. "I'm sure they have everything they need."

The kids nodded eagerly in agreement. But Dick crossed his arms over his chest and grinned at them, a mysterious spark in his eyes.

"Well, I think there's one thing you didn't think about."

Gar and Rachel exchanged a glance, confused. Dick took something out of a pocket in his jacket and threw it at Rachel. She caught the thing quickly and her brows furrowed at the sight of the item in her hand.

"What is this?"

Dick snorted.

"Car keys, what do you think it is?"

Gar stood up slowly, his eyes wide from excitement.

"Wait - you're giving us a car?"

"Not just any car." he answered. "Follow me."

All four of them headed to the underground garage. Both kids gasped in shock when he turned the light on, while Kory just started laughing.

"I cannot fucking believe you got it back."

His old silver Porsche was parked in front of them, looking exactly like the last time they saw it, the day Dick traded it for a minivan what felt like a lifetime ago.

"You gotta be kidding me." Rachel laughed when they got inside, Gar behind the wheel and she in the passenger seat.

Dick leaned over the door on her side and smiled.

"Brings back memories, huh?"

"Yeah… it does."

"And it's ours now?" Gar asked in disbelief. Kory put her arms around his shoulders once he got out of the car.

"Apparently."

Rachel jumped right into Dick's arms, laughing.

"Thank you so much!"

The four then came back to the living room, where Dick and Kory had their things.

"I guess we better get going." Kory started, as she glanced at her phone, looking worried. "Donna called twice already, I hope Johnny is not causing too much trouble."

Dick smiled at his wife.

"I'm sure it's nothing Donna Troy can't handle."

He turned around and looked at his kids. He could barely call them that anymore - they were both 18 now, Gar was already as tall as him, and Rachel… Dick promised himself he won't get emotional on that day, but _ fuck _… It was starting to dawn on him that his little girl wasn't so little anymore.

Rachel must have felt his tumbling emotions, because she walked over to him with a reassuring smile.

"We're gonna be okay, dad. Don't worry."

"Yeah." Gar added, already hugging Kory. "We got this."

Dick pulled his daughter close and Rachel melted into him.

"I'm gonna miss you so much." he whispered into her ear, then kissed her hair.

"I'll miss you too." she whispered back and squeezed him tighter before letting go.

Kory and Gar walked up to them and Dick pulled the boy to him as well.

"We promise we'll behave." Gar mumbled into his father's shoulder.

"And we'll be back home for winter break." Rachel added as she hugged her mom.

Everyone melted into a group hug, laughing. Dick and Kory pulled their children close and kissed their heads.

"So this is it, huh?" he asked. "Our birds are flying out of the nest."

"Yeah… Had to happen eventually."

Kory laughed through tears, making the kids giggle.

Dick was the first one to let go and locked eyes with the two teenagers.

"We love you so much. And we're so proud of you. Remember that."

Kory wrapped her arms around his waist and he pulled her to him.

"If you need anything, just let us know." She added. "We're just one call away."

"Will do." Gar nodded.

"We'll be fine." Rachel assured them. "And we love you too."

Dick gave her one last smile before turning towards the front door.

"See you on Thanksgiving!"

Once they were in the car, Dick felt his wife's hand on his knee.

"You know, they're gonna be okay, right? They're gonna take the world by storm, I'm sure of it."

Dick laughed under his breath and tried to blink back tears that threatened to escape his eyes.

"Yeah, I know."

***

Rachel started dating back in high school, but Matt Bowen was the first guy she decided to introduce to the family. They met the first year of college, they had few classes together and the sparks were there from the start. When she asked them if she could bring him over for Thanksgiving, after about a year of dating, Kory instantly agreed. She was excited to meet the guy she heard so much about, both from Gar and Rachel. Dick on the other hand… Not so much. He knew this was bound to happen someday, but he didn't expect to feel this… territorial about it. It was his little girl they were talking about after all. And he might have gone a _ little _ too far, getting his hands on every bit of Wayne technology and resources to do a complete background check of the guy (what Rachel doesn't know won't hurt her). But Matt turned out to be a great guy, he treated Rachel right and Dick wasn't blind, it was obvious she was madly in love with him.

She also trusted him enough to reveal her powers to him. Matt didn't know everything, but he knew the extent of her powers and where they came from, he knew she was the Raven and worked with the Titans in the past. He also found out about Gar's abilities (because Rachel and Gar were a package deal, she made that _ very _ clear). And he accepted it all without a second thought, gaining extra points in Dick's eyes.

So it didn't come as a surprise to him, when, during their last year of college, Matt asked for his blessing to marry Rachel. He drove all the way from Chicago, alone, just so he could take Dick out for coffee and ask. He wanted to laugh at how nervous Matt was, like he was a teenage boy again. Was Dick really giving such a Scary Dad vibe? But, to Matt's relief, he agreed.

They got married right after graduating college. Rachel was a stunning bride, basically glowing. Dick forgot how to breathe for a moment when he first saw her in a wedding dress. She approached him with a shy smile and held onto his arm.

"Are you okay, dad?"

He was about to walk his daughter down the aisle and honestly, he just now realized how scary that was.

Dick smiled and tried get rid of the tears in his eyes.

"Yes, of course. You look beautiful, by the way."

"Thank you. Mom is a miracle worker."

He laughed under his breath, relaxing a little.

"Yeah, she is."

Rachel took a deep breath and looked inside the church. Her hand on his elbow trembled slightly.

"Nervous?"

She pressed her lips into a thin line and nodded. Dick immediately pulled her to him.

"This is one of the best days of your life." He spoke softly into her ear. "It's okay to feel nervous. Do you have any second thoughts?"

"No, of course not." she mumbled against his shoulder. Dick leaned away and looked her in the eyes.

"Then relax. Hold your head high and walk in there like you own the place."

He took her face in his hands.

"You are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen - don't tell your mother." Rachel giggled, finally relaxing. "I'm the one who should be terrified today. I'm giving my little girl away. But remember - I loved you first. And I will always love you. I'm always here when you need me."

"I know, dad." She nodded, her voice trembling. "And don't worry - I'll always be your little girl."

Dick smiled softly as he brushed his thumb over her cheek, then leaned in to press a loving kiss to her forehead.

"Always."

***

Dick became a grandfather at the age of 40.

He was the first one Rachel had told she was pregnant. She called him one morning, crying to the phone and he got so worried he was ready to instantly jump into his car and break every speed limit to get to Chicago as fast as he could. It took her about 15 minutes to convince him those were tears of joy.

The worries came later. When she was about 4 months in, she visited home and spend few hours crying in their arms, scared her baby will inherit her powers and won't be able to control them. Kory explained to her, that even though it seems scary, everything will work out in the end. After all, it did with Johnny - his mother's powers started manifesting very early on, and just like in Kory's case, the dampening bracelets didn't work. But with guidance and hard work, it all became easier.

The moment Dick got to hold his granddaughter for the first time, he nearly broke down crying. The baby had her mother's eyes and dark hair. The girl held his thumb tightly in her tiny fist and slept soundly in his arms. He looked over at Rachel, who was resting in bed now, watching them with tired eyes and a warm smile. Kory was sitting by her side, with Johnny next to her. Gar was currently talking with Donna on the phone. Matt went to say goodbye to his parents, who left few minutes ago.

"Isn't she beautiful?" She asked with a tired voice when he walked over to her bed. Dick smiled softly.

"Yes, she is… Just like her mother."

He carefully gave the sleeping baby back to Rachel and leaned down to kiss his daughter's forehead.

"How are you feeling, baby?"

"Tired." she answered. "But okay. No need to worry."

"Who said I was worried?"

"It's _ me _." she rolled her eyes. "You're always worried."

Well, she wasn't wrong. He would always worry about Rachel, it was his second nature. Looking at her now, with her baby in her arms, a wave of emotions came over him. It was the only time in his life he wished Rachel was biologically his. He would've been able to raise her from the start. He would've been there for her first words, first steps… But Dick would never change a single thing in their story, even if he had the chance. Maybe he couldn't see Rachel's firsts, but he was there when she was holding Johnny for the first time, crying happy tears. He was there when Johnny said his first word because _ she _ asked him to. He was there when his son took his first steps and slowly walked over to his big sister, who laughed and hugged him tight.

And he was damn sure he's not gonna miss any of that with his granddaughter.

"What is her name?" Johnny asked as he watched the baby with curiosity. Everyone's eyes were immediately on Rachel, who smiled lovingly at her daughter.

"Isabelle." she replied. "Isabelle Grayson-Bowen."

***

All those memories rush through his mind as he walks through the front door of the Titans Tower, his wife and daughter at his side. He hasn't been here in years, but his sons were very convincing and Dick agreed for them to throw him his 50th birthday party in this place. The Tower is currently run by Gar and Jason, who decided to continue Dick's legacy and expand the team, getting new recruits. One of those recruits is Johnny himself, who decided to take on the mantle of Nightwing, with his father's blessing, of course. He's 17 now, he still needs to finish high school, but his powers are growing and it's better for him to start training as soon as possible.

Everyone are already there. Hank and Dawn with their kids, Donna - documenting everything as always, Gar and Jason with the rest of the team, and of course Matt with little Isabelle. His granddaughter runs up to him the moment she sees him and Dick immediately picks her up. She's 10 but she's light as a feather and he's pretty sure he's never gonna get tired of carrying her.

"Happy birthday, Grandpa!" she says, hugging his neck tight. Dick laughs joyfully and puts her back on the ground.

"Thank you, sweetheart."

There's more birthday wishes, as other members of his family approach him. Hank pats his back, joking that he never thought they would live past 30. Gar, Matt and Jason get the cake ready.

"Izzy, come help me with the candles." Kory calls and takes the girl by the hand. Izzy waves at them and follows her grandmother to the kitchen.

"Come on, dad." Rachel whispers to him, tightening her grip on his arm. She's a beautiful, powerful and brilliant woman, an amazing mother and wife. Dick feels his heart soaring with pride every time he looks at her. "Time to make a wish."

He looks around. The children are running around. All his loved ones are together in the first place he ever called home. And his daughter is at his side, as always.

"I don't have to make a wish, Rach." he replies, and Rachel smiles at him. "All I ever wanted is right here."

***

_ Singing long live all the mountains we moved _

_ I had the time of my life _

_ Fighting dragons with you _

_ And long, long live the look on your face _

_ And bring on all the pretenders _

_ One day, we will be remembered _


End file.
